Class I. COMMON SEAL. 169 



several long stiff hairs, and above each eye, were 

 a few of the same kind. The form of the tongue 

 of this animal is so singular, that were other 

 notes wanting, that alone would distinguish it 

 from all other quadrupeds, being forked, or slit 

 at the end. The cutting teeth are singular in 

 respect to their number, being six in the upper 

 jaw, and only four in the lower. It has two 

 canine teeth above and below, and on each side 

 of the jaws five grinders; the total thirty-four. 



The whole animal was covered with short 

 hair, very closely set together ; the color of that 

 on the head and feet was dusky ; on the body 

 dusky, spotted irregularly with white ; on the 

 back the dusky color predominated, on the 

 belly white, but seals vary greatly in their marks 

 and colors, and some have been found * entirely 

 white. 



The seal is common on most of the rocky 

 shores of Great Britain and Ireland, especially 

 on the northern coasts ; in Wales it frequents 

 the coasts of Caernar'conshire, and Anglesey. It 

 preys entirely on fish, and never molests the sea 

 fowl ; for I have seen numbers of each floating 

 on the waves, as if in company. Seals eat their 



* In the AsJimolean Museum at Oxford, is a good picture of 

 tvyo white seals. ,' 



