MONOGRAPH OP THE PINNIPEDES. § 



the entire western coast of America, except the tropical 

 regions, while on the eastern they ascend towards Brazil. 

 They are likewise abundant along, the Australian coasts. 



In conclusion, it may be added, as Peron and Dr. Gray 

 have before insisted, that the species of the entire group 

 are restricted within as distinct geographical limits as are 

 any other mammals, and as are especially the marine fishes. 



Without further preface, I submit the following classifi- 

 cation to the judgement of naturalists : 



FAMILY I. PHOCID^ Brookes, Gervais. 



SUBFAMILY I. PHOCIN^ (Gray), GiU. 



Genus 1. Phoca Linngeus. 



Syn, GaUocephalus F. Cuvier, 1824, Gray, 1844. 

 Halicyon Gray, 1864. 



Ty'pe. Phoca vitulina Linnoeus.* 



Genus 2. Pagomys Gray, 1864. 



Type. Phoca foetida Mvller. 



Genus 3. Pagophilus Gray, 1844. 



Type. Phoca grcenlandica Miiller. 



Genus 4. Erignathus Gill, 1865. 



Syn. Phoca Gray, 1844. 



Type. Phoca barbata Fahricius. 



Genus 5. Halich(erus Nilsson, 1820. 



Type. Phoca gkypus Fahricius. 



'* In the Syst. Nat. 10th ed., 1758, the first in which the hinomial sys- 

 tem was introduced, four species were included by Linnaeus in the genus 

 Phoca; 1, P. Mrsina,=ARCTOCEPHALus ubsinus; 2, P. leonina,=MAc- 

 korhinus leoninus ; 3, P. rosmaras, =Eosmarus obesus; 4, P. vitulina. 

 The name Phoca must be retained for one of these, and as the third, second 

 and first species were successively elevated to the rank of generic types, and 

 the genus was thus by elimination restricted to the fourth species, for that 

 and its allies, the generic name must necessarily be reserved. 



