1887] Notes on the Life-History of Monachus Tropicals. 259 
to enable us to do all the work both upon seals and other objects 
that we might desire; but on the second day the barometer in- 
dicated the near approach of a “Norther,” the severe winter 
wind of that part of the coast, and upon the third day we had 
hurriedly to break camp, even leaving some of our specimens, 
get aboard of our little schooner and scud back to harbor amid 
the breaking waves and chilling blasts of a winter gale. My 
observations therefore cover a very small period of time,—zz., 
from the Ist to the 4th of December. This proved to be the 
time of parturition among the seals, for upon making a landing 
on the east island we killed a female with a foetus nearly ready 
for birth, and in a little internal pond of salt water found a female 
lying on her side suckling her young. She paid no more atten- 
tion to our near approach than would the familiar denizens of 
the barn-yard under similar circumstances. ‘Subsequently four 
other females were killed containing nearly ripe foetuses. In 
one case, where the foetus was removed immediately after killing 
the mother, it kicked and squirmed for one or two minutes in 
such a lively manner as to indicate that delivery would have 
occurred in a few moments had the female not been molested. 
Following the usual order with seals, there is but one offspring ` 
at a birth. The female can have little difficulty in nursing this, 
as in any but a perfectly prone position one or more of her four 
teats will always be within reach of the young. 
The foetus is quite large, one measuring 85 c.m. in length from 
tip of nose to end of tail." The hair is long, very soft and woolly, 
and of a glossy black color. Parturition probably occurs in 
shallow water, as the three females noted nearest this period 
were lying stranded on the beach, half in and half out of water. 
The young seal previously mentioned was of a uniform black 
color, including its mystacial bristles, with large, dark brown, 
lustrous eyes that looked inquiringly at one: more intelligent in 
appearance than were the adults. This youngster we took with 
us on leaving the islands, and had it in captivity for a week or 
more at Campeche, where it eventually died, probably from lack 
of proper nourishment. 
Its teeth were uncut, and so it had no thoughts of offering 
* More measurements and descriptions of this seal will be found in a bulletin of 
the American Museum of Natural History, now in course of preparation by Professor 
J. A. Allen. 
VOL, XXI.—NO. 3. 18 
