426 Proceedings of the 



the prem axillary bones unite into a prominent tuberosity, with 

 lesser tubercles behind, on their inner margins. The nasal 

 aperture is small, and narrower below than above. On the 

 nasal process of the superior maxilla there is a distinct ridge, 

 which may be called the anterior orbital ridge. The inferior 

 maxillary bone is large and strong, with a rounded, obtuse, 

 and greatly-compressed coronoid process. The angular portion 

 of the jaw is flattened, forming two processes, the upper of 

 which is largest, and deflected inwards towards the inner 

 edge of the condyle. The lower jaw is narrow, and rounded 

 below anteriorly, the two bones closing together, and forming 

 a chin. 



Osteologically, the common seal has neither chin nor fore- 

 head. The teeth are not greatly worn, but the obliteration 

 of many of the cranial sutures would seem to prove that the 

 skull belonged, if not to an old, at least to a full-grown indi- 

 vidual. The teeth are thirty-four in number, the formula 

 being, six incisors in the upper jaw and four in the lower, — 

 two canines above, and two below, with five molars on each 

 side of each jaw. The six upper incisors are nearly in a 

 straight line, the two external much the largest, and resem- 

 bling small canines. The four central are slightly bifid. The 

 canines are large, and succeeded by five molars, about equal 

 in size, with a strong conical tubercle in the centre. There 

 are two minute tubercles anteriorly and posteriorly, with 

 slight callosities surrounding the base of the corona. The 

 molar teeth possess but one root. In the common seal the 

 molars have two roots, and are placed obliquely in the jaws. 

 This last peculiarity was pointed out by Professor Nilsson 

 as characteristic of the species. 



The general characters of this skull seem to agree best 

 with the description of the genus Otaria given by Dr Gray 

 in the Catalogue of the British Museum for 1850. There is 

 no notice taken, however, of a longitudinal, sagitto-coronal 

 crest in any of the descriptions of this section ; nor is it re- 

 presented in any of the figures of crania. No skulls belong- 

 ing to the auriculate section of seals, so far as I have been 

 able to ascertain, exist in any of the public collections of 

 Edinburgh. The New College Museum contains two crania 



