Zoology.-] NATURAL HISTOEY OF VICTORIA. [Mammals. 



in a line with the body, and closely approximated to the tail, with 

 only a moderate, obliquely lateral, power of motion ; so that, on 

 the land, instead of raising the body clear of the ground and walking 

 on the four legs like the eared seals, it can only progress painfully 

 on the land by the action of the abdominal muscles and singularly 

 flexible spine. Dr. Ludwig Becker (who died in the Burke and 

 Wills Expedition across the Australian Continent), when making the 

 drawing for our plate from a living specimen, wrote thus to me on 

 this point : — " The specimen while alive was able to open its mouth 

 so much that the upper and lower jaw formed an angle of nearly 

 eighty degrees. Palate and tongue pale flesh-color. The flexibility 

 of the spine was seen while the poor animal was crying either from 

 pain or for food ; it could raise the head two feet and a half from the 

 floor while still the sternum was level with the belly, and the head 

 when raised was bent backwards. At the same time the spine from 

 above the pelvis to the tail moved right and left. The sound was 

 somewhat between a roaring and a grunting noise, not very strong.' 7 



This species abounds in countless myriads on the packed ice of the 

 Antarctic Ocean, and only occurs on our shores as an occasional 

 visitant strayed from its usual haunts. 



Fine specimens from the Victorian coasts are in the National 

 Museum. 



Explanation of Figures. 



Plate 21. — Fig. 1, specimen, of average color, when at rest, viewed from the side, one-twelfth 

 the natural size. Fig. la, side view of skull, one-sixth the natural size. Fig. \b, front view of 

 same, one-sixth the natural size. Fig lc, half of palate, showing proportion and position of 

 teeth, and the palatal vacuity ; reduced one-half. Fig. Id, similar view of teeth of lower jaw. 

 Fig. lc, third molar, lower jaw, natural size. 



Frederick McCoy. 



[8] 



