1868.J MR. R. BROWN ON THE SEALS OF GREENLAND. 427 



GrasJc'dl (Swedish); SjosJcal, UtskiirssMl, and Krumnos (various 

 Scandinavian local names) ; Tapvaist 1 (western islands of Scot- 

 land) ; Haaffish (northern islands of Scotland). 



General remarks. — The Grey Seal has no doubt been frequently 

 confounded with other species, particularly Phoca barbata and the 

 female of Pagophilus grcenlandicus. 



It does not seem to frequent the high seas, though possibly this 

 species may be confounded with the "Ground-Seal" and some 

 forms of the " Saddleback." It is said to produce on the coast of 

 Sweden in February, and to have one pup at a birth, of a white 

 colour, which attains the dark-grey colour of the adult species in 

 about fourteen days. In 1861, a little south of Disco Island, we 

 killed a Seal the skull of which proved it to be of this species ; and 

 again this summer I saw a number of skins in Egedesminde and 

 other settlements about Disco Bay which appeared to be of this 

 species. Though the natives do not seem to have any name for it, 

 the Danish traders with whom I talked were of opinion that the 

 Graskiil, with which they were acquainted as an inhabitant of the 

 Cattegat, occasionally visited South and the more southerly northern 

 portions of Greenland with the herds oi Atak (P. grcenlandicus). 



The skull to which I refer, though carefully examined at the 

 time, was afterwards accidentally destroyed by a young Polar Bear, 

 which formed one of our ship's company on that northern voyage ; 

 therefore, though perfectly convinced of its being entitled to be 

 classed as a member of the Greenland fauna, I am not in a position 

 to assert this with more confidence than as being a very strong 

 probability. It should be carefully looked for among the herds of 

 P. grcenlandicus when they arrive on the coast. Its hunting forms 

 nowhere an important branch of industry ; it is, however, killed on 

 the Scandinavian coasts, at various places, where it is most abundant. 

 A large Grey Seal about eight feet in length will yield (the Swedes 

 say) about 12 lispunds of blubber, equal in value to 36 rigsdaler 

 banco (Swedish); and the hide, which is as large as an ox-hide, will 

 bring the value of such a Seal up to the sum of 60 rigsdaler banco 

 (Swedish)*. I have seen and examined this Seal in various collec- 

 tions, and have seen it alive on the coasts of the Cattegat, &c., and 

 among the northern islands of Scotland, but can add nothing of 

 additional value to the excellent account of Nilsson in his ' Skandi- 

 naviske Fauna' (Forsta Deleu, Daggdjuren, 1847), pp. 298-310. 



(6) Trichechus rosmarus, Linn. 



Trichechus rosmarus, Linn. 

 Rosmarus arcticus, Pall. 



Trichechus obesus et T, divergens. 111. {fide Gray). 

 Odobcenus rosmarus (L.), Sunderal, Uebers. der Verhaudl. der 

 Akad. der Wiss. 1859, p. 441. 



* In the kjokkenmodding of Denmark, in company with remains of the Castor 

 fiber and Bos primigenius are fonnd those of llalichcerus grypus, showing it to 

 have been at one time sufficiently abundant to form part of the food of the pri- 

 mitive inhabitants of Scandinavia. 



