222 THE ANTARCTIC MANUAL. 
The most novel observation, however, is that which has regard to 
its voice, which is said to be very curious. The sounds which it emits 
are very varied. “Son larynx fortement gonflé constitue une caisse 
de résonnance, et le voile du palais trés développé, distendu par de 
lair, constitue & animal une sorte de cornemuse. On entend d’abord, 
chez la béte irritée, une sorte de roucoulement de tourterelle enrouée, 
auquel succéde le gloussement d’une poule affolée de terreur, et la 
finale c’est un reniflement sans harmonie produit par lair violem- 
ment expulsé par les naries.” 
External Appearance.—As in the case of the other species, the 
exact details of the coloration of Ommatophoca are still very imperfectly 
known. Gray’s plate tells us very little. In his written description 
of the type-specimen he stated that the colour was “ greenish-yellow, 
with close oblique yellow stripes on the side, pale beneath.” The 
present coloration of the skin I should describe as being, as nearly 
as possible, olive above, shading gradually into tawny olive beneath, 
with regions of lighter yellowish shades on the breast and neck. 
There is no very distinct line of demarcation between the colours of 
the upper and under surfaces; neither are there many spots. The 
“stripes” described by Gray are, however, present at about the 
place where a line of demarcation might be expected to occur. On 
the flanks they occur as streaks of the colour of the under surface, 
having a breadth of about a quarter of an inch, which, running 
obliquely forwards, invade the colour of the upper surface. Occa- 
sionally, in places where the streaks are interrupted, a spot or two is 
formed. Otherwise the creature is spotless. 
Mr. Bruce, in his very brief allusion to the coloration of this 
species, makes no mention of these streaks, but merely compares it 
with the Crab-eating Seal, adding, that its coat is “somewhat sleeker, 
of a beautiful pale mottled-grey colour, darker on the back and lighter 
on the belly, and varying in intensity in different individuals.” The 
streaks are so well represented in the reproductions of Dr. Cook’s 
photographs, published both in his own book and in Monsieur Raco- 
vitza’s paper, that I cannot help regarding them as highly character- 
istic of the species. Mr. Bruce compares Ommatophoca with Lobodon, 
which, he states, that “in form and size” it is “very like.” This 
remark about an animal which has been described by Monsieur 
Racovitza in such vivid language as so highly distinct from all the 
other species makes me suspect that Mr. Bruce may have been mis- 
taken in his identification of Ross’ Seal. 
Unfortunately no skins of Ommatophoca were entrusted to me 
for examination by Monsieur Racovitza. The four skins secured 
