20 OTAKIAD^. 



neath; under-far brown, very sparse; hairs slender, polisied, 

 black, with very slender brown bases. B.M. 



** The fourth, fifth, and sixth wpper grinders with two distinct diverging 

 roots ; the fifth in a line with the hinder edge of the zygomatic arch. 

 Buotaria. (America.) 



2. Arctocephalus nigrescens. The Southern Fur-Seal. 

 Arctocephalus nigrescens, Gray, Zool. Erebus and Terror, t. ; P. Z. S. 



1850, pp. 109, 860 ; Cat. Seals and Whales, p. 52 ; Gerrard, Cat. 



of Bones, p. 147. 

 Arctocephalus (Euotaria) nigrescens, Gray, Ann. §■ Mag. Nat. Hist. 



1866, xviii. p. 236. 

 Arctocephalus falklandicus, Gray, Cat. S. ^ W. p. 65 ; Allen, Sidl. 



Mus. Comp. Zool. ii. p. 46. 

 Otaria (Arctocephalus ?) falklandica, Peters, Monatsb. 1866, p. 273. 

 ■Otaria (Arctophoca) falklandica, Peters, Monatsb. pp. 371 & 671. 

 Otaria falklandica, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1868, p. 628 ; Abbott, P. Z. S. 



1868, p. 192. 

 Otaria jubata (young), P.M. 



Euotaria nigrescens. Gray, Ann. 8r Mag. Nat. Hist. 1868, p. 104. 

 Otajia nigrescens, Murie, P. Z. S. 1869, p. 106. 



Inhab. Palkland Islands, Volunteer Rook {Oapt. Abbott). 



The two skulls of this species in the British Museum agree in 

 most particulars ; but they differ considerably in the form of the 

 hinder nostrils. The larger one is without its upper teeth, but the 

 forms of the roots are well exhibited by their sockets ; the front 

 edge of the hinder nasal opening is produced rather further for- 

 ward, and is acutely angular. The other skull, which is rather 

 smaller and has the teeth in good condition, has the hinder nasal 

 opening with a slightly arched, nearly truncated, front edge. 



Dr. Peters refers Phoea faVclandica (Shaw, Zool. i. p. 256) and 

 Otaria faVclandica (Hamilton, Ann. & Mag. N. H. 1839, p. 81, 

 t. 4 ; Jardine, Nat. Lib. vi. p. 271, t. 25) to this species. But as 

 neither Dr. Shaw nor Dr. Hamilton describes the number or posi- 

 tion of the teeth, it is not possible to determine if this is the Fur- 

 Seal of the sealers, collected at the Falkland Islands, more espe-r 

 ciaUy as the fact of the skull coming from the Falkland Islands is 

 not well ascertained. See the other synonyma which have been 

 established on the sealers' descriptions and iigures or the skins 

 collected for the furriers at the Falkland Islands (Gray, Cat. Seals 

 and Whales, pp. 55, 56). Dr. Hamilton, who prides himself on his 

 figure, represents the hind legs as extended behind : but they look 

 very awkward in that position, the stuffer having evidently had a 

 difficulty in extending them. 



The hair of A. nigrescens is considerably longer than that of A. 

 einereus, but not so harsh, the fur of the half-grown A. nigrescens 

 being longer, sparse, flat, rather curled at the end, giving it a crisp- 

 ness to the feel ; while the hairs of the very young specimens are 

 abundant, nearly of equal length, forming an even coat that is soft 

 and smooth to the touch. 



