1868.] MR. U. BROWN ON TH K SEALS OF GREENLAND. 407 



the group. For the reasons already stated, I have purposely omitted 

 giving any eraniological or other osteological distinctions, except 

 in a few isolated cases, limiting what descriptive remarks I may 

 have to make to some disputed points regarding the very fallacious 

 distinctive marks derived from the skin. As in the previous paper, 

 I have not attempted anything like a complete history of their 

 habits, geographical distribution, &c., chiefly limiting my remarks 

 to what has fallen within my own observation or knowledge. I have 

 occasionally mentioned facts already known, but still requiring 

 further confirmation ; but in general, when I can add nothing to the 

 remarks of other naturalists, a reference is made to their writings, 

 such references being intended to convey the imputation that our 

 observations are similar in their nature. The list of popular names 

 attached to each species is the result of not a little work and extensive 

 acquaintance among the seal-hunters and fishermen of the northern 

 coasts. The scientific synonyms are only given when no doubt 

 existed of their applicability, and are not intended to be a complete 

 list. 



2. Physiological Remarks on the Habits of Seals. 



The Seal is, to a considerable extent, fitted for terrestrial progres- 

 sion, which it performs chiefly by the muscles of the trunk, aided by 

 those of the extremities. The result is a rolling, waddling, or shuf- 

 fling kind of motion — the animal leaning over on one anterior ex- 

 tremity, and then rolling back on the other to make a similar use 

 of it, using them thus alternately and the muscles of the spine con- 

 tinuously, chiefly those of the lumbar region and erectores spines. 

 In carnivorous animals the intestinal canal is shorter than in grami- 

 nivorous species : yet there are exceptions ; for the Sloth has a very 

 short intestine, and the Seal a very long one. I have measured the 

 length of the intestine of Pagophilus grcenlandiciis, and found it to 

 vary between 50 and 56 feet in length. 



It is said that the livers of the Seals at Nova Zembla (Hemskirk) 

 and in the southern seas possess poisonous properties : this is not the 

 case with the livers of any of the Greenland seals ; for they are often 

 eaten, and I never knew of any bad effect ensuing. The lymphatic 

 glands are well developed, the glands being of great size, though not 

 numerous, it being common to find only one in each axilla and groin. 

 In the young Seals the lymphatics of the neck are subject to disease, 

 which appears to be analogous to, if not indeed true scrofula : the 

 glands swell and suppurate and pour out a purulent discharge ; and 

 the animals subject to this do not increase in size. 



Many theories have been adduced to account for the Seal's capa- 

 bility of remaining with impunity so long below water. That of 

 Buffon and the physiologists of his time was long celebrated : from 

 their finding t\\e foramen ovale open in a few instances, they twisted 

 an exception into a rule, and accounted for it by this fcetal pecu- 

 liarity. Dr. Wallace considers that this theory is erroneous, and from 

 numerous observations he is satisfied that the open foramen must be 

 very rare ; for in only one of the Seals which he examined did he 



