PHOCA LEPORINA. 77 



arrangement peculiar to this species ; the cranium is very 

 broad at the back part, the forehead remarkably arched ; 

 muzzle broad ; lips loose and full ; whiskers with numerous 

 bristles, strong but flexible, horny, slightly compressed, 

 smooth and transparent ; opening of the ears large ; eyes 

 large, the pupil round, the iris brown ; body elongate, 

 robust ; back rounded. The colour, when young, is smoke- 

 grey above, lighter beneath, darkening as the animal grows 

 older, until at last it is wholly black. 



The general length is about 10 feet, but some have been 

 observed measuring 15 feet. It is the largest of European 

 Seals. 



Inhabits the Farn Islands off the north-east coast of 

 England, and has been taken on the Scotch coasts, and in 

 the Orkneys ; on the west coast of Norway, and in Iceland ; 

 but is uncommon in all those localities. Is also found in 

 Greenland. 



Phoca Leporina. 



Phoca Leporina, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 374 ; Schinz, Europ. Faun. ; Ha- 

 milton, Nat. Lib. vol. vi. 

 Phoca albigena, Pallas, Zoog. Boss. As. 



Description.— Incisors 4 in each jaw (Desmarest). The 

 head is elongated ; the upper lip swollen and thick, like that 

 of a calf; the whiskers strong and thick, covering the whole 

 front of the lip ; eyes blue, pupils black ; the fore-paws are 

 short and feeble, ending abruptly ; the membrane of the hind- 

 feet is not curved, but straight. The colour is a uniform 

 dull white, with a tinge of yellow : it is never spotted ; the 

 hair erect, interwoven and soft, like those of a Hare, espe- 

 cially when the Seal is young ; the skin is very thick. 



Length, 6-L feet. The dental formulary marks it as be- 

 longing to this genus. The above description is from the 

 ' Naturalists' Library,' quoted from Lepechin. Desmarest, 



