80 CARNIVORA. 



Phoca gryphus. 



Phoca gryphus, Sohinz, Europ. Faun, vol. i. 

 Halichmrus griseus, Nilsson, Skand. Faun. 



Halichmrus gryphus, Bell, Brit. Quad. ; Keys. u. Blab. Wirbelth. 

 Europ. 



Description. — Incisors, -| ; grinders, -fzrf; those in the 

 upper jaw simple, the first being very small and single- 

 pointed, with the points slightly recurved ; the three fol- 

 lowing of nearly the same form, hut larger ; the fifth have 

 a minute rudimentary tubercle at the back part ; in the 

 lower jaw the first and third are similar to those in the 

 upper jaw ; the second broad, with a rudimentary tubercle 

 before and behind ; the fourth and fifth with the tubercles 

 distinct ; in the fore-feet the first toe is the longest ; in 

 the hind-feet, also, the first is the longest, then the fifth, 

 the second, the fourth, and the middle one, which is the 

 shortest ; the muzzle is very deep and obliquely truncated ; 

 head very flat ; the face bears a larger proportion to the 

 cranium than in the other species ; in the adult the hair is 

 much recurved, and the animal, when dry, with the head 

 turned towards the spectator, appears of a uniform silvery 

 grey, whilst viewed in an opposite direction it appears al- 

 together sooty brown, the spots or blotches being only 

 visible on a side view. Very young animals are dull yellowish 

 white, with rather long hair, which, after about a month, 

 falls off, giving place to a more shining coat, blotched with 

 blackish grey ; as the animal advances in age, the blotches 

 become less distinct on the upper parts, while on the breast 

 and lower parts they sometimes show as distinctly as in the 

 Leopard. 



Length, upwards of 7 feet. 



The shape of the head and characters of the teeth differ 

 so much from the other species of this genus, that Professor 



