426 MR. R. BROWN ON THE SEALS OF GREENLAND. [June 25, 



dive when the hunter attempted to approach them. Occasionally 

 they come to the borders of the ice, as in 1859 a few were secured in 

 N. lat. 79° on a heavy stream of ice, and in about lat. 75° and 76° 

 I have seen considerable numbers in the bottom of deep ' bights ' of 

 the ice lying on the ' sailing ice ;' and, indeed, in open years, when 

 ships can penetrate through towards Shannon Isle and the ' west 

 land' (the east coast of Greenland), these locahties are found to be 

 peculiarly frequented by the ' Bladdernose ' and ' Ground-Seals.' " 



I should scarcely have hesitated to identify this Seal with Pago- 

 philus ffrcenlandicus, had not Dr. Wallace so expressly stated that it 

 is not that species ; and the whalers, who are very familiar with the 

 " Saddleback," have not only distinguished it from that species, but 

 applied a very familiar distinctive name to it. It is just possible 

 that it is the Phoca leporina of Lepechin, which is usually classed 

 as a synonym of Phoca barhata, O. Fab. (though it ought to be 

 remarked that in such a case Lepechin's name ought to take priority 

 of Otho Fabricius's, the one having been applied in the year 1778, 

 while the other was not published until 1 780), or that Phoca leporina 

 is a good species — a conjecture which without skulls it is impossible 

 to be certain of. Wallace does not mention the saddle-shaped mark 

 on the back of the male (nor do my notes mention it as being 

 found) of the Ground-Seal ; so that the principal stumblingblock 

 is removed to its being classed with Phoca barhata. Lepechin, no 

 doubt (Acta Acad. Scient. Imp. Petropol. 1778, vol. iv. p. 264, 

 tabb. viii., ix.), says that there are no spots on his Seal; but 

 Wallace remarks that these may go off as the animal increases in age. 

 At all events it is a subject of regret that a skull, which would have 

 at once settled the point, was not brought. Leaving England very 

 shortly after receiving these notes, and arriving home myself, I was 

 unable to obtain a specimen. Again this spring, on taking up the 

 subject of the Greenland Seals anew, I was so puzzled with this 

 "Ground-Seal" that I had determined to make a short trip to the 

 Spitzbergen sea again with a view to obtaining specimens, but, owing 

 to an unforeseen accident, could not accomplish my purpose. I have, 

 however, been promised that next year specimens shall be brought 

 me. My experience, however, of these promises does not lead me 

 to build any great expectations thereon ; however, until that time 

 at least, the specific determination of the " Ground-Seal" must, I 

 fear, remain in abeyance. 



(5) Halichcerus grypus, O. Fab. 



Phoca grypus (den Krumsnudede ssel), O. Fab. 

 Halichcerus griseus, Nilss. 

 Plalichoerus grypus, Nilss. 

 Phoca gryphus, Licht. 

 Phoca halichcerus, Thienem. 

 Phoca thienemanni. Less, (young). 

 Phoca scopulicola, Thienem. (young, Jide Gray). 

 Popular names. — Grey Seal (English naturalists) ; Graskill (or 

 Grey Seal of the Scandinavian naturalists) ; Statshdl (Q3dm. I. c.) ; 



