1881.] PROF. W. H. FLOWER ON THE ELEPHANT SEAL. 149 



exaggerate the size of every thing large had not had its influence in 

 this case, as it undoubtedly has with Cetaceans, Sirenians, and other 

 marine " monsters." 



Skeletons are far more valuable than skins or stuffed specimens for 

 giving dimensions, as the latter are susceptible of considerable factitious 

 enlargement. Unfortunately there is not, as far as I can learn, any 

 skeleton of a perfectly adult male Elephant Seal in any museum in 

 Europe. The largest appears to be that at Berlin, of which I have 

 given the size of the skull above, and of which the stuffed skin, 

 according to Mr. J. W. Clark ', measures 14 feet 6 inches in length 

 from tip of nose to tip of tail, and 10 feet 3| inches to the extremity 

 of the hind flippers, taking the measurement along tlie curve of the 

 back. Dr. Peters gives the length of the vertebral column of this 

 specimen as 3700 millinis.", which, added to the length of the skull 

 (490 millims.), gives 4190 millims., or 13 feet 9 inches for the whole 

 length. Whether allowance has been made for the intervertebral 

 spaces or not I do not know. Mr. J. A. Allen gives the length of 

 the skeleton (nose to tail), allowing for the probable length of the 

 intervertebral cartilages, of a male, said to be adult, from Heard 

 Island, in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge, Mass., 

 as 4340 millims., or 1 4 feet 3 inches ^. The skull of this specimen is 

 480 millims. long. Skeletons of very young animals, between four 

 five feet in length, are common in museums. 



Dentition. — Leaving out of consideration the exceedingly aberrant 

 and specialized Walrus, the teeth of the Elephant Seal are more 

 reduced in number, size, and form than those of any of the Pinnipedifi, 

 the only other member of the group which agrees with it in most of 

 these characteristics being the closely allied Cystophora of the 

 northern seas. 



The dentition when complete is i. \, c. \-, pm. ^, m. \, though it 

 frequently happens that one or more of the true molars, especially 

 those of the upper jaw, are rudimentary or wanting. All the teeth, 

 even the canines, are remarkable for their comparatively small 

 enamel-covered crowns, and for the large size of their simjile roots, 

 which continue to grow in width as well as length during the ado- 

 lescence of the animal, and are further enlarged in thickness by the 

 addition of a considerable layer of cementnm to their outer surface. 

 In this character the teeth resemble those of many of the Odonto- 

 cetes, so much so that in the case of isolated fossil teeth of the Crag 

 formation it is often very difficult, if not impossible, to say whether 

 they belong to Cetaceans or to Seals. Although other Pinnipeds 

 show this peculiarity, it is carried to its greatest extent in the 

 Elephant Seal. The very small size of all the teeth except the 

 canines, and more especially those of the molar series, in proportion 

 to the great magnitude of the animal, is very striking. 'I'hey must, 

 in fact, be almost functionless. 



' Nature, Sept. 2, 1875, p. 366. 



^ Monatsb. der k. p. Akacl. der WissenscLaft. zu Berlin, 1875, p. 393, foot- 

 note. 



^ Op. cif. p. 749. 



