31 



known. There must be many persons in New Zealand who have had 

 opportunities of seeing these seals alive. 



With regard to the time at which the seals made their appearance here, I 

 may remark, that Captain Weddell, when describing the habits of the Fur Seal, 

 says, that herds of small young seals come on shore in August, for about live 

 or six weeks, and then retire to the water. Of the habits of the Leopard Seal, 

 he has not given any account. The seals caught here are young ones, if I may 

 judge by their size, as compared with that of others described by visitors to the 

 Auckland Islands. Mr. Arthur Beverly, who examined them immediately 

 after their capture, is of opinion that the female had never been pregnant. 

 The time of parturition amongst seals of the southern seas appears to vary 

 considerably. With the Fur Seal, it is in November and December, and the 

 animal is not adult until nearly two years old. Probably this may be about 

 the age of the specimens under consideration. 



I shall add, that there is a skin of a Stenorhyncus, which appears to be of 

 the same species as that I am describing, in possession of the Dunedin 

 Athenaeum. It was lying in the Government Offices here, for many years, 

 before it was handed over to its present custodians. It is imperfect, and very 

 roughly stuffed, and is now of an almost uniform dingy brown. Markings 

 may, however, be traced on the belly, similar to those on the female specimen 

 in the Museum. I have included in the appended table such measurements of 

 this seal as could be fahdy depended upon, as representing something like 

 the original size. These, it will be seen, correspond, pretty well, with those of 

 the seals in the Museum. The specimen is smaller, but the teeth are perfect, 

 and I have no doubt that the skin is that of an adult. 



In conclusion, I may express the hope that the partial revival of whaling 

 enterprise in this pai't of the world, may enable us to add something to the 

 scanty store of facts, hitherto published, in regard to the seals, and other living 

 forms, of the Southern Seas. Except in the case of the Fur Seal, very little 

 indeed, is known about any of the seals that frequent Antarctic shores. 

 No doubt there are many new species to be discovered, and with regard to 

 their habits, and economy, the field is all but untouched. 



Should the opinion I have expressed, as to these seals being hitherto 

 undescribed, prove correct, perhaps I may be allowed to claim the usual 

 privilege, and suggest a specific name ; Crassicollus will recall the feature which 

 most readily disting\xshes this seal from others of the genus, and will not 

 excruciate the ears of a scholar, more than the majority of scientific names 

 must do. 



DESCRIPTION OF SEALS CAUGHT NEAR DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND, AUGUST, 1868. 



Stenorhyncus, ? — Male. 



(For measurements of both specimens see table annexed.) 



Head proportionately larger than the Weddellii, and neck less tapering. 

 Body largest immediately before the fore-arm, tapering very gradually to the base 

 of the posterior extremities. Fore paw very fin-like, first finger (or thumb) much 

 the largest ; fingers united by membrane, which extends from half an inch to an 

 inch beyond the nails ; nails black , not sharp, or much curved, about half an 

 inch long. Hind paws furnished with membrane to the extremities of the toes, 

 making the paw, when expanded, look very like the symmetrical tails of the 

 pilchard, and some other Glupeadm ; nails well developed on three middle 

 toes, less so on the others, brownish-black, tipped with yellowish-white. The 

 external aperture of the ear is easily distinguishable. The ear-tube was found 

 fine as a medium sized phi (about the No. 1 9 trade-gauge of wire). Hair soft, 

 and moderately thick-set, a medium shade of slatey-grey on the upper half of 

 the body, dull-white below. The dividing line between these colours is rather 



