540 On the Habits of the Phocce. 



southern, and that the species of each of these regions are peculiar 

 to itself. He inclines to apply the same principle to the cetaceous 

 tribes,— but in neither case has he sufficiently considered the nu- 

 merous species which occur in temperate and equatorial regions. A 

 proper exposition of the species of the Mediterranean and the Eux- 

 ine, and their comparison, on the one hand, with those of the north, 

 and, on the other, with such as are known to occur in the enclosed 

 waters of the Caspian, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Indian 

 Ocean, and the frozen waters of the extreme south, would prove to 

 be subjects both of interest and utility. It is indeed singular that 

 animals so important in the scale of creation, whether we regard their 

 great economic value to mankind, their position in the system of na- 

 ture, or their peculiar organization and singular habits of life, should 

 hithertohave attracted so superficial a notice on the part of naturalists.* 



Any critical observations regarding the inadequate manner in 

 which the numerous foreign species have been distinguished, would 

 come with a bad grace from one, who, having it in his power to 

 study the habits and ascertain the distinctive attributes of the few 

 which frequent our island shores, has yet failed to effect that dis- 

 crimination. Something, however, is occasionally gained by calling 

 attention to the fact of our being comparatively ignorant of what 

 might be ascertained by many, without much exertion, and there- 

 fore, while confessing that I have not yet studied the structure of 

 our native kinds, and am still unqualified to assign their distinctive 

 characteristics, I make no apology for offering the following brief 

 notes regarding their natural habits. 



Our western islands are supposed to be frequented by three dif- 

 ferent species of seal, although only two are usually recognized by 

 systematic writers, t All of these have been repeatedly observed 

 by my principal informant. J 



The largest of these is at least double the dimensions of either 

 of the other two. It is known by the native name of Tapvaist, 

 and although it associates occasionally with the other kinds, yet 

 it differs in many respects in its habits. I presume it to be the 

 species usually designated by our British writers as the Great 

 Seal, or Phoca barbala. It occurs occasionally along our eastern 

 shores, § and, from the great size of a seal shot some years ago, 

 near Stonehaven, by the late Lord Cassilis, I infer it to have 

 been a Tapvaist. It spreads, however, far and wide along the icy 

 arctic shores. 



* Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 th edition, Vol. xiv. p. 128. 

 ■f See note at the conclusion of this article. 

 $ Mr Archibald M'Neill (of Colonsay.) 

 § Is frequent on the Fern Islands — Ed. 



