KEY TO LAND MAMMALS OF NORTHEASTERN NORTH AMERICA 1 23 



Phoca hispida Schreber Ringed seal 

 1775 Phoca hispida Schreber, Siiugethiere. 3 : 312. 

 1880 Phoca foetid a Allen, History of North American pinnipeds, p. 597. 



First finger longest, the others successively decreasing in length. General color 

 blackish brown above, yellowish white below, the back with large oval whitish 

 spots; muzzle and eye ring usually black. Total length (male) about 1750 (5 ft), 

 female smaller, (hispida; Lat., harsh) 



The ringed seal occurs on the Arctic coasts of both hemispheres. In 

 eastern North America its range extends to Labrador and Newfoundland. 



Phoca vitulina Linnaeus Harbor seal 



1758 [Phoca] vitulina Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. 10. 1:38. (Coast 



of Europe) 

 1880 Phoca vitulina Allen, History of North American pinnipeds, p. 559. 

 Fingers not distinctly graduated; general color grayish or brownish; paler 

 below ; the back with dark spots, muzzle and eye ring usually yellowish. Total 

 length about 1750 (5 ft) ; female smaller, (vitulina; Lat., calf-like) 



The harbor seal is peculiar to the north Atlantic. Its normal range in 



North America extends about to Long Island, though individuals straggle 



much farther south. It is frequently taken in rivers and lakes at some 



distance from the sea. 



Family Felidae Cals 



Heel never applied to ground in walking; claws sharp, compressed, retractile, 

 hind toes 4 ; teetJi 28 or 30 ; head short, round. (F e 1 i d a , genus F e 1 i s ) 



The well known cat family, though distributed- throughout the 

 warmer parts of the world (Australia and neighboring islands excepted) 

 contains only a small number of genera. Two are all that are com- 

 monly recognized, but this number should probably be doubled. Two 

 only occur in America, both of which are found in the northeastern 

 United States. 



GENERA OF FELIDAE 



Tail long; teeth 30 Fclis 



Tail short; teeth 28 Lynx 



Genus Felis Linnaeus 

 1758 F e 1 i s Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. 10. 1:41. Type Felis oat us 

 Linnaeus. 

 Form slender; tail long; teeth 30; no mane; ears not tufted; i)ui>il of oyo 

 ■when contracted a vertical slit. (F 6 1 i s ; Lat., a cat; 



The range of the genus Felis is the same as that of tiic family. 

 Some 50 species are known, about a dozen of which occur in America 



