148 PROF. W. H. FLOWER ON THE ELEPHANT SEAL. [Jan. 4, 



The dimension given above does not express the whole length of 

 the largest skull, though it does of the smaller ones, as in the older 

 animals the occipital ridges become so greatly developed as to pro- 

 ject backwards beyond the condyles. This takes place to such an 

 extent in the case of the new skull as to give an extreme length of 

 597 miUimetres, or 23| inches. In very young skulls, on the 

 other hand, the most posteriorly projecting part is the middle of the 

 squama occipitis, at or above the upper margin of the foramen 

 magnum. This expresses the preponderance of the brain-case over 

 the other parts of the skull at this stage of development. In the 

 next stage the growth of the condyles outruns that of the brain- 

 case ; and finally the development of the great crests for muscular 

 attachment give a very different general aspect to the cranium. 



The remaining principal dimensions of this skull are the follow- 

 ing :— 



millira. 



Extreme width across zygomatic arches 384 



Width between occipital crests 242 



Greatest width of palate 18^ 



"Width of maxillae across middle of rostrum 1/6 



"Width between outer sides of base of upper canines 158 



"Width between apices of upper canines 120 



"Width between outer sides of base of upper lateral inci- 

 sors 60 



"Width between outer sides of base of lower canines 93 



Length of palate, from notch in middle line behind to 



incisor teeth 272 



Length of ramus of lower jaw 375 



Greatest width between condyles of lower jaw 352 



I have great hopes of obtaining, if not the whole skeleton, at 

 least some of the principal bones belonging to the skull now 

 described, as Mr. Mansel informs me that, after securing the head, 

 he left the remainder of the body above high-water mark at the 

 spot where it was killed. We shall then have the means of verifying 

 his estimate of 21 feet, which I presume includes the length of the 

 hind feet or flippers, and which will probably be not far from the 

 maximum to which the animal reaches. 



It is probable that, as in many of the Pinnipedia, and indeed in 

 animals of almost all other groups, there is some variation in the 

 size attained by adult specimens ; and the head, especially of the 

 males, continues to increase in magnitude some time after the animal 

 has apparently reached maturity, by the addition of bony outgrowths, 

 ridges, and crests for the attachment of muscles, and by the enlarge- 

 ment of the alveolar portions of the jaws for the support of the in- 

 creasing roots of the great canine teeth. But the statements of 

 those voyagers who ascribe a length of 25 or even 30 feet to some 

 individuals of this species must of course be taken with considerable 

 reserve, and require to be verified by the accurate measurements of 

 actual specimens. It would be strange if the natural tendency to 



