GEOLOGY. 179 
northern Alaska, and is, so far as known, only represented well in 
the museum of St. Petersburg. In the Smithsonian collection, 
there are two skins, obtained by Dr. Dall from Cape Romanzoff, 
but no skull or other parts of the skeleton. The species is re- 
markable for color as well as for structural peculiarities. The 
male is at once recognizable by the color; this may be said to be- 
a chocolate-brown except (1) a band of whitish-yellow, bent for- 
wards towards the crown around the neck (2) an oval ring of the 
same color on each side, encircling the fore feet, and passing in 
front just before them, and (3) another band, also bent forwards 
above, behind the middle of the trunk. There is considerable 
variation in the extent of these bands, and sometimes the peri- 
brachial rings are more or less confluent with the posterior band. 
The females are simply whitish-yellow, or have very indistinct 
traces of the postmedian band (fide Von Schrenck). 
The structural (and especially dental) characters of this species, 
according to Von Schrenck, indicate a generic distinction from all 
the familiar forms of the subfamily Phocine. The molars (except 
the first) are two-rooted as in the typical Phocine, but in external 
form are simply conic or have rudimentary cusps, thus resembling 
Halicheerus. The genus may be named Histriophoca. 
The special object of this communication is to call the attention 
of travellers in Alaska to the species, and skeletons (especially 
skulls) and skins are earnestly asked for. The species has been 
found also in Kamtschatka, and at the mouth of the Kamtschatka 
river in March and April, arriving there later than the other seals 
named. : 
One of the skins in the Smithsonian collection has been peeled 
off from the animal almost entire, and by a cross slit below and 
between the fore feet, and, being tied in front, has evidently been 
used as a bag. — T. GILL. : 
GEOLOGY. 
Fosstt Quaprumana 1N THE Eocene or Wyoming. — An exami- 
nation of more complete specimens of some of the extinct mammals 
already described by the writer from the Eocene deposits of the 
Rocky Mountain region, clearly indicate that among them are 
Several representatives of the lower Quadrumana. Although these 
remains differ widely from all known forms of that group, their 
more important characters show that they should be placed with 
