260 Notes on the Life-History of Monachus Tropicalis. [March 
resistance when handled. It was totally devoid of fear ; but most 
too young to make any demonstrations of friendship. Its time 
on shipboard was spent in aimlessly roaming to and fro, serenely 
regardless of such trivial obstructions as people standing in «its 
way; uttering every few moments its cry, a long drawn out, 
guttural “ah,” with a series of vocal hitches during its enuncia- 
tion. At Campeche this little seal seemed to enjoy its daily bath 
in the sea, plunging its head under water and blowing and snort- 
ing as if in great glee, yet ever and anon uttering its plaintive 
cry, as if in momentary mourning for its lost parent. 
Two females containing foetuses measured respectively 2 m. 
16 c.m. and I m. 99 c.m. from end of nose to end of tail. Two 
adult males measure from a skeleton and stuffed specimen re- 
spectively 2m. 29 c.m. and 2 m. 16 c.m. between the same 
points. These are about the maximum sizes, of the two sexes, 
noticed. Such a seal looks large and might easily give rise to 
the “about ten feet in length,’ and even greater measurements, 
that have been reported of this species. 
From the black pelage of the extremely young to that of the 
adult there is an intermediate stage of yellowish gray on the 
‘dorsal surface, shading to almost a perfect ochre on the ventral 
portions. Adults are grayish brown or grisled on the back, a 
result of the Vandyke-brown hairs being tipped with light horn- 
color, the lower surface ochreous-yellow to yellowish white. — 
Females seem to have much less of the yellow or white on the 
ventral surface. 
The variations in coloration in individuals of approximately 
the same age seemed to be comparatively slight. In adults the 
-mystacial bristles vary from dark horn-color for the basal half 
and light horn or whitish for the remainder, to a clear light 
color for their entire length. They taper gradually to a remark- 
ably fine point, for a half-inch, in some specimens, being scarcely 
peace than a coarse human hair. 
_ The head is very large and prominent, having an extremely 
“brainy” appearance even for a Seal: quite belying its mental 
capacity, which seems to be very slight. This prominence is not 
so much on account of the size of the skull as because of the 
immense amount of muscle and flesh intervening between it and 
the skin. The whole body of the animal is very chunky. The 
bones are all deeply embedded in the flesh, over which, particu- 
