Sub-Family PHOCIN^. 

 Genus Phoca. 



THE COMMON SEAL. 



Phoca vitulina, Linnaeus. 



Plate 14. 



Considerably smaller than the preceding species, the adult male of 

 the Common Seal measures from nose to end of tail from 4 to 5^ feet, 

 or sometimes more, especially specimens from the Orkneys and Shetlands. 



As shown by Mr. Millais [Mammals of Great Britain and Ireland) 

 there is a good deal of variation in the colour of this animal, which 

 apart from the seasonal changes of pelage, shows two distinct types, 

 one light and the other dark, according to the closeness to each other 

 of the dark spots and markings on the lighter ground-colour of the coat. 



Between these two types intermediate forms occur. The chief 

 figure in Plate 14 gives the lighter form in winter coat, which in August 

 changes to a more or less plain sandy colour with only some faint 

 markings remaining. The other and darker figures are from a younger 

 example in the gardens of the Zoological Society of Scotland in summer. 



The Common Seal is found on the coasts of the North Atlantic 

 as well as those of the North Pacific, ranging northwards along the 

 shores of Greenland as far as or beyond Davis Straits. It is said to 

 frequent Spitzbergen, and also visits Iceland and the Faroes, while it is 

 common on the coasts of northern Europe, and occasionally comes as 

 far south as the Mediterranean. 



I. 57 H 



