126 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



form the type of a new genus, for which I have proposed 

 the name of Goodsiria, in honour of a late distinguished 

 anatomist. 



Later in the day, one of the officers brought me a small 

 specimen of a shark of the genus Acanthias, which he had 

 taken in a pool in Dungeness Spit. In general form and 

 colouring it very closely resembled our commonest British 

 dogfish;* and attached to each side of its head was a 

 parasitic crustacean of the genus Ghondr acanthus, or some 

 closely-allied form. From Dungeness also Captain Mayne 

 brought me a great prize in the form of a magnificent 

 cranium of a sea-lion (Otaria jubatd). This great seal, to 

 which I shall often refer in the course of this narrative, is 

 widely distributed around the western and southern coasts of 

 the South American continent, frequently congregating in 

 large herds on the beaches. Despite its huge size, and the 

 formidable teeth with which it is armed, it appears on the 

 whole to be a very peaceable animal, it being the general 

 testimony of those voyagers who have observed its habits 

 that it will not attack its assailants, thus differing greatly 

 from the walrus of the northern seas, which, when irritated 

 or wounded, is a dangerous enemy to boats. As Cook has 

 well observed, the only danger to be incurred from a herd of 

 sea-lions is by getting between them and the sea, as, if 

 alarmed, individuals in their way would be liable to be run 

 over. 



In the evening, a party who had made an excursion to 

 the iron wreck returned to the ship, bringing with them 

 several birds of which I had not previously obtained 

 specimens. Among these was a fine male example of the 



* Since the above was written, Dr. Gunther has informed me that it is 

 identical with our common Acanthias vulgaris. 



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