|l. BROWN ON THE SEALS OF GREENLAND. 43 



Geographical Distribution. — This is a Seal peculiar to the 

 coasts of the regions which it affects, but has also a wide range, 

 being found over nearly all the northern coasts of Europe and 

 the colder portions of America. It is even said to be found in 

 the Caspian Sea and Lake Baikal. It does not seem, from its 

 littoral habits, to be found in the Spitzbergen sea, or to form a 

 portion of the commerce of the sealer ; it is however found on the 

 coasts of Spitzbergen, tolerably abundant on the eastern shores 

 of Greenland, and in Davis's Strait. It is to be found all the year 

 round all along the coast of Greenland up inlets,* but not to any 

 such extent as Pagomys foetidus and Pagophilus grcenlandicus. 

 In Scandinavia it is sometimes called the Fjardskal on account 

 of its frequenting inlets or fjords. 



Economic Value and Hunting, — We have no data to decide as 

 to what extent it is killed in Danish Greenland, its record being 

 united with that of Pagomys fcetidus. The skins are highly 

 valued as articles of dress, more especially as material for the 

 women's breeches ; and no more acceptable present can be given 



to a Greenland damsel than a skin of the Kassigiak 



In the Danish Settlements they are valued at from three to four rigs- 

 daler. The principal reason which induced the late Admiral Graah's 

 boat-women to accompany him on his memorable voyage along the 

 east coast of Greenland was the hope of obtaining some Kassigiak 

 skins from that region, the natives of which value them at even 

 less than the more serviceable hides of the other species, which 

 are sold by the west coast natives for a mere trifle. According 

 to Hr. Cneiff (/. c.) a C. vitulinus will yield about 6f Swedish 

 lispunds of blubber, and according to Holmers, even 8 lispunds. 

 Professor Nilsson says that a Seal of this species killed on the 

 coast near Malmo in Sweden yielded over 90 Swedish ^' potts " 

 of oil, each <'pott" being worth 36 skillings, = 67 rigsdaler 

 24 skillings Rigsmont (Swedish) for the oil of one C. vitu- 

 linus. In August, when the Seals are poorer, another yielded 

 75 potts, equal in value to 66 rigsdaler 12 skillings (Swedish). 

 In some of the northern and western islands of Scotland, and at 

 the estuary of the Tay, &c., they are still occasionally hunted 

 for their skins and oil. The skin makes excellent leather ; and 

 waistcoats made of it are much valued by fishermen. 



No separate returns of the catch of this Seal have been kept ; 

 but it is estimated that of Pagomys fcetidus and Callocephalus 

 vitulinus the yearly capture in Danish Greenland must amount 

 to 70,000 (Rink, op. cit.) or more. The flesh is looked upon in 

 Greenland as the most palatable of all '' seal-beef." 



(2.) Pagomys fcetidus (Fab.), Gray. 



Phoca fcetida, Fab. (Miiller's Phoca bothnica, Gm. 



Prod. Zool. Dan., p. 8.) Phoca fasciata, Shaw. 



Phoca hispida, O. Fab. Nat. Phoca annellata^ Nilss. 



Selskab. Skrifter, vol. i. 2., Phoca discolor, Gray. 



p. 74. Phoca frederici, Less. 



* The " Colonie " of Christianshaab in Disco Bay is called Kassigian- 

 wiichz, or the place of the Kassigiak. 



