ORDER CARNASSIER. 509 



the Little Seal of Pennant and Shaw. The result of all the 

 observations of navigators in the Pacific Ocean appears to 

 be, that they have seen a Red Eared Seal and a Brown 

 Eared Seal, the former of which is the Sea Bear, and the 

 latter the Sea Lion. All the other species, or pretended 

 species, with the exception of the Pusilla, are involved in 

 doubt and uncertainty. We shall, therefore, briefly notice 

 these three, and refer to the table for the rest, with this 

 general observation. 



The Sea Bear, P. Vrsina, called also by M. de Blainville, 

 P. Byronia, from the skull in the Surgeons' College, brought 

 by Lord Byron, is described as growing to eight feet in 

 length, but the female is much smaller. The greatest cir- 

 cumference of the body is about five feet, but near the tail, 

 it does not exceed twenty inches. The nose projects ; the 

 nostrils are oval. The ears are small and pointed, hairy 

 without, but naked within. The general colour of the 

 animal is black, but the hair of the old ones is tipped with 

 gray, and the females are cinereous. 



We are told, that these animals live in a polygamous state, 

 and that each male has from eight to fifty females. Though 

 they may be found by thousands on the shore, each family 

 is perfectly distinct ; they are very jealous of their separate 

 station, and if an individual of one family trespass on 

 the station of another, not merely a single combat, but a 

 general battle frequently ensues. 



This species, in common with others of the genus, evinces 

 considerable intellectual development, and exhibits a great 

 degree of feeling and attention in the care of the young. 



The Sea Lion of Forster, (Captain Cook's second voyage) 

 is from ten to twelve feet long, but the females do not ex- 

 ceed seven or eight feet. The body is thick, cylindrical, 

 and very fat. The head is small, and the muzzle similar 

 to that of a great, Dog, truncated at the end. The male 

 has the head and the upper part of the body covered with 



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