MAMMALS OF PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY, 1 27 



received, steadily refused food, and died on the ninth day after arrival, when , 

 its incisor dentition (i?), the large development of claws on the hind feet, 

 with other details, proved it to be a young female hooded seal ( Cystophora 

 cristata). Although a few specimens of this seal have been seen on our shores, 

 even as far south as the Chesapeake, yet its occurrence is sufficiently rare to be 

 worthy of note, and at this season of the year it may be inferred that a con- 

 siderable part, at least, of the voyage was performed on an iceberg or floe. 

 The short life of the animal gave Httle chance to observe peculiarities of 

 habit, the only ones observed being its extremely savage disposition, to a de- 

 gree far greater than I have ever seen in the common seal, and its habit of 

 floating in the water with the axis of the body almost perpendicular instead 

 of horizontal, as with most other seals. Both of these habits I find to be 

 mentioned by those who have observed the animal under motion. It is 

 much to be regretted that the specimen did not live, as its presence in the 

 same pond with specimens of three other North American seals, the common 

 seal {Phoca vitulina), the California elephant seal {Macrorhinus angustiros- 

 /ris), and Gillespie's hair seal {Zalophus calif ornianus), would have offered a 

 rare opportunity for studying the moral differences of these species. It is 

 curious to observe that the habit of floating perpendicularly, above referred 

 to, is shared by it with the sea elephant, which it resembles in dentition, and 

 quite strikingly in internal anatomy, the two genera forming a group quite 

 apart in subordinate characters from the other Phocidse.' " 



This animal was sent to the Zoological Garden by I. Roberts Newkirk of 

 Philadelphia. 



Habits, etc. — ^This species, like the harp seal, is by preference a dweller on 

 the drift ice of the high seas, away from rocky islands or shores. It is com- 

 bative and quarrelsome and exceedingly difficult to kill. It feeds on fish, 

 crustaceans and moUusks. Owing to its scarcity it has a small commercial 

 value. 



Description of species. — Head and limbs nearly uniform black. Color 

 above bluish black varied with small whitish patches, lighter beneath. Male 

 with head surmounted by a movable muscular bag, extending from nose to 

 behind the eyes, and about a foot long. Length of old male yj^ to 8 feet. 



Order FERAE : Carnivores or Flesh Eaters. 

 Family Felid^e ; Cats. 

 Genus Felis Linnaeus, Systema Naturae, 1758, vol. i, p. 41. 

 AUeghenian Cougar ; " Panther. " Felis couguar Kerr. 

 1792. Felis couguar Kerr, Animal Kingdom, p. 151. 



