K. BROWN ON THE SEALS OF GREENLAND; 49 



vol. viii., pi. 5), from a specimen in the Edinburgh Museum, is not 

 the young of that species, but of Pagophilus grcenlandicus. The 

 young white-coat, however, is much plumper than the specimen 

 figured ; indeed, in proportion to its size, it has much more blubber 

 between the skin and the flesh than the adult animal. 



(iS) They take the water under the guidance of the old females. 

 At the same time the colour of the skin begins to change to that 

 of a dark speckled and then spotted hue ; these are denominated 

 " hares " by the sealers.* 



(-y) This colour gradually changes to a dark bluish colour on 

 the back, while on the breast and belly it is of a dark silvery 

 hue. Young Seals retain this appearance throughout the summer 

 and are termed " Bluebacks " by the sealers of Spitzbergen, 

 "Aglektok" by the Greenlanders, Blaa-siden by the Danes.f 



(S) The next stage is called Millaktok by the Greenlanders. 

 The Seal is then approaching to its mature coat, getting more 

 spotted &c., and the saddle-shaped band begins to form. 



(c) The last stage (in the male to which these changes refer) is 

 the assumption of the halfmoon-shaped mark on either side, or the 

 " saddle " as it is called by the northern sealers. 



I consider that about three years are sufficient to complete these 

 changes. This is also the opinion held in Newfoundland, though 

 the Greenland people consider that five years are necessary. I 

 wish, however, to say that these changes do not proceed so re- 

 gularly as is usually described, some of them not lasting a year, 

 others longer, while, again, several of the changes are gone through 

 in one year; in fact, the coats are always gradually changing, 

 though some of the more prominent ones may be retained a longer 

 and others a shorter time. It would require a very careful and 

 extended study of this animal to decide on this point, which, 

 owing to their migrations, it is impossible to give. After all, 

 these changes and their rapidity vary according to the season and 

 the individual, and really will not admit of other than a general 

 description. 



Habits. — It has few other characteristic habits beyond what is 

 mentioned regarding the order generally, or in other sections of 

 this paper on its migrations, &c. It is looked upon by the Green- 

 landers as rather a carelesS, stupid Seal, easily caught by a very 

 ordinary kayaker. Its food consists of any small Fish (^Mallotus 

 arcticus, Cottus scorpius, &c.), Crustacea, and even Mollusca. In 

 this its habits agree with those of other species. 



Geographical Range and Migrations. — The Saddleback has a 

 wide range, being found at certain seasons of the year in almost 

 all parts of the Arctic Ocean, from the American coast to Nova 

 Zembla, and perhaps even further; it appears that the Phoca 

 oceanica (Lepechin, Acta Petropolitana, 1775, t. i., pp. 1, 259, 



* In this state it is not unlike Halichcerus grt/phus, but can be distinguished 

 by the characters given by Nilsson, Skand, Fauna, i., p. 301. 



f The dental formula of a Seal in this stage killed by me in Davis's Strait, 



6 1 1 5 5 



September 1861, was, — incisors r; canines -. — ,-; molars '^ — r. 



36122. r» 



