CHAPTER V. 



THE LEOrAPtl) SEAL. 



Phooa Pealii,?* Gill. (Plato xxii, fig. 1.) 



MOMN& ATTITtTDE OF A LtUPAIiD SEAL, ON bHOLE, 



This species of Phoca, known under 

 the h:>cal name of Leopard Seal, inhabits 

 according to our observation, the western 

 coast of iN^orth America and the contiguous 

 northern region as far as the most western 

 islands of the Kurile chain. The adult 

 animals we have met with in different lat- 

 itudes, were, to all outward appearances, 

 of the same form and of the same modi- 

 fied colors. Tlie places of observation were 

 Plover Bay, coast of Eastern Siberia, 1805; coast of Upper California, 185'2 ; coast 

 of Lower California, 185G; Strait of Juan do Fuca, 18G9. Tlie skeleton of the one 

 examined at Plover Bay was forwarded to the Smithsonian Listitution, through our 

 friend W. H. Dall, who assumed charge of the scientific enterprise connected with 

 the Western Union Telegraph Expedition, after the death of the lamented Kcnni- 

 cott. The Leopard Seal in its proportions may be regarded as under- sized. It 

 never exceeds six feet in length ; and its thick body, with its short limbs, gives 

 the animal a bloated appearance, which seems ill adapted to much activity. Its 

 head is short, broad, and rounded ; the eyes are large, full, and expressive, with five 

 coarse, bristle -like hairs placed on a curve one inch above the edge of the upper 

 lid, which constitute the eyebrows. It has thirty to thirty -five whiskers on each 



'' "W. H. Dall, who lias Lad considerable op- but, whether such is the fact or not, we will 



portunity to observe upon these seals, is under state that, so far as our observation has extend- 



the impression that several species of them exist ed, the habits of these seals, both north and 



upon this coast, in which opinion we concur; south, are the same. 



