74 CARNIVORA. 



Inhabits the coasts of the British Islands, Norway, Swe- 

 den, Russia (both on the north coast and Black Sea), the 

 Mediterranean occasionally, Holland, and France. Taken 

 in great numbers in Greenland. 



A variety is found in the Caspian Sea, which is described 

 by Pallas as showing the yellowish tinge in a greater degree, 

 and the coat less spotted than in the ordinary breed. He 

 relates that at one period 20,000 (!) of these animals were 

 taken there annually, and that they were still very nu- 

 merous. 



The Common Seal inhabits the salt Lake or Sea of Aral, 

 and the freshwater Lake of Baikal in Siberia. It is most 

 likely that a closer investigation will show that several 

 species have been erroneously united under the same deno- 

 mination. 



The Common Seal of the French coasts is said to differ 

 either as a variety or species from that of Britain and the 

 North of Europe. 



Phoca Greenlandica. 



Phoca Greenlandica, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 376; Bell, Brit. Quad. 

 Phoca dorsata, Pallas, Zoog. Boss. As. 

 Phoca Oceanica, Lepechin. 

 Harp Seal, Bell, I. c. 



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

 teeth are arranged, not as in the last species, but in a 

 straight series, with a small interval between them. The 

 colour of the fur varies much with sex and age. In the 

 first year it is nearly white, in the second year grey, then 

 grey with darker spots, in which state the female appears 

 to remain ; in the fifth year the male has acquired its per- 

 fect clothing, which is greyish white, with a brown crescent- 

 shaped mark across the back, the points of which are back- 

 ward, and directed towards each other ; the second claw 



