j> — 5 



5 



PHOCA VITULINA. 73 



that country, with the remark that, in the specimens taken 

 there, " the tail is very short," and that its chief food is 

 rabbits and partridges. 



Division III. AMPHIBIOUS CARNIVORA. 

 Genus PHOCA. SEAL. 



Teeth. — Incisors, |, |, or |; canines, yEy ; molars, 

 ^jp with more than one root, a large point on the middle, 

 with a smaller one in front, and two smaller ones behind ; 

 external ears either wanting or inconspicuous ; feet formed 

 for swimming, the hinder feet flattened and directed back- 

 wards ; the toes enclosed within the skin. 



Phoca vitulina. 



Phoca canina, Pallas, Zoog. Ross. As. 



Phoca vitulina, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 375 ; Beel, Brit. Quad. 



Calocephalus vitulinus, F. Cuviee. 



The Common Seal. 



Description. — Incisors 6 above, 4 below. The grinding 

 teeth are placed obliquely, so that the hinder inner margin 

 of one is in contact with the front outer margin of the next 

 behind it. The body is elongated, diminishing from the 

 chest to the tail ; neck very short ; head round ; upper lip 

 furnished with strong undulated whiskers; outer ears marked 

 only by a small tubercle ; eyes nearer to the ears than to 

 the end of the nose ; the claws of the hind-feet are longer 

 than those of the fore-feet, the first claw of the fore-foot is 

 the longest. Hair stiff and shining, concealing a short, 

 soft, woolly fur. General colour yellowish grey, with spots 

 of brown and blackish ; belly pale. Produces one or two 

 young at a birth. 



Length of head and body from 3 to 5 feet ; head about 

 8 inches. 



E 



