41 



deviations commonly attendant upon age, and individual peculiarities, 

 are too alike in their general structure to permit of any doubt as to 

 their specific identity. 



Another perfect skull from Lyttleton, New Zealand, presented to 

 this institution by Dr. Schutte, and a water-colour drawing, by Mr, 

 Angas, of a sea leopard captured at Newcastle, exhibit further slight 

 differences in the dentition or in the external colouring of the hair, yet 

 they and the two before-mentioned animals are unquestionably of the 

 one and the same species. 



I have been partly led to ofier these observations, because the 

 colouration and general outline of the sea leopard (Phoca leopardina) 

 figured in Plate 12 of Jardine's Naturalist's Library resemble those of 

 the aged male in our Museum ; while the small-nailed seal (Phoca lep- 

 tonyx) represented in Plate 11, approaches more in its colour to the 

 young adult female recently taken in our harbour. 



The three skulls alluded to are those of a very aged male from 

 Shoalhaven, an adult female from Port Jackson, and an adult animal 

 from New Zealand. These present the elongate form of the face, the 

 mandible, "strong with an acute angle iehind," and the marked tricuspid 

 form of the molars ; but they differ, irrespective of size, ia the follow- 

 ing particulars : — 



The occipital and sagittal crests of the aged male were comparatively 

 greatly developed ; the foramen magnum was actually smaller than in 

 the other specimens, the aperture having become lessened apparently by 

 the ossification of its upper portion ; and the molars were set rather 

 widely apart. 



The New Zealand and Port Jackson specimens, theformer especially,' 

 had the two middle lower incisors and their sockets considerably 

 within the outer ones ; so that with the jaws closed they were com- 

 pletely over-lapped by the upper cutting teeth (the Shoalhaven animal 

 did not possess this peculiarity) ; their molars also, were close together, 

 almost crowded. 



The old male measures twelve feet in length, and the skin presents 

 a glossy, flecked appearance, of which the prevailing colours are light 

 silvery grey, and very pale yellowish-white, arranged into numerous 

 largish, longitudinal patches, occasionally brought into greater relief 

 by a black-grey shading along their edges ; the upper part of the body 

 being darker, and the abdominal portions lighter than the sides. 



The young adult female is in length seven feet two inches and a 

 quarter, the upper half is darkish grey, becoming almost bljpk along 

 the dorsal line, and intermixed throughout with numerous narrow 

 markings of darker hue, and of dull yellowish-white; under part, 

 nearly unspotted, is of a dull dirty yellowish- white. These two colours 

 do not blend at their junction, but, remaining distinct, pass from the 

 tail, somewhat over the flippers, and immediately under the eyes and 

 nostrils, to the end of the muzzle. 



' Dr. Knox, of liTew Zealand, calls attention to this peculiarity. 



