32 



The Esquimaux seal hunter, in taking any of these animals, proceeds 

 thus : " Having ascertained by an examination of the ice that a seal is 

 near at hand (and he can discover this by the small hole left by the 

 animal to enable him to raise his head above the water to breathe) he 

 sets to work to form a kind of arm-chair of square lumps_ of ice, the 

 back of course placed to the windward, when, resting his spear, to 

 which a long line is attached, on a small piece of ice, so that he may lift 

 it with the least possible noise, he places himself in this comfortless 

 seat, and patiently awaits, perhaps for hours, the return of the animal 

 to his blow-hole." 



In their domestic habits the Crested Seals resemble the other poly- 

 gamous groups, existing at certain times in comparative harmony with 

 their neighbours, at others, the whole community becomes involved in 

 strife. 



Molars, more or less, with double roots. 



Pamily IV. PHOCID^.^ 



Monk Seal, Common Seal, Grey Seal, Sea Leopard, &c. 



Hind limbs, when at rest on land, are directed backwards nearly in 

 a line with the body, by the integuments of which they are so enveloped 

 and confined as to possess but little or no power of motion, the feet 

 been capable of moving only in an obliquely lateral direction. The 

 progression on land, therefore, like that of the preceding family, but 

 more restricted, is effected by means of the abdominal muscles and 

 extremely flexible spine, assisted materially by the front limbs. In 

 many other important portions of their structure, they likewise differ 

 greatly from the Eared Seals : — the skull is but moderately crested ; 

 the 'shoulder-blade is reduced in size ; the pelvis is comparatively small, 

 and in its form exhibits no unusual sexual difference, being alike broad 

 in both sexes ; and the pelvic bones are thin and slender. The hair 

 which thickly clothes the body is short, closely pressed against the 

 skin, more or less soft and woolly, and extensively used in the manu- 

 facture of articles of wear, although greatly deficient in quality to the 

 under-fur which distinguishes the Eur Seal of commerce. 



Oentts MoKACHTJS,' Fleming. 



Synonyms — Pelagios^ E. Cuvier, Gray. 



Felagius^ E. Cuvier, Eischer, Nilsson. 



Incisors H, canines n, molars 5^ :3z 32. 

 Upper incisors indented transversely at their edge, so that the lower 

 ones, when the mouth is closed, fill up these indentations. Molars 

 crowded, obtusely pointed, slightly lobed ; anterior one of each jaw 



1 From (pdl)K7j, phoca, a seal. 



' A monk. 



^ That lives in the sea. 



