F E R yE. 



25 



and were sometimes discovered by the ' Ground Moles,' which were so 

 eager to devour them that they were easily captured, and proved to 

 be of this species. They form long burrows near the surface of the 

 ground, similar to those of the Mole of the eastern portion of our con- 

 tinent [Scalops canadensis)." 



We make this extract verbatim from Mr. Peale's printed volume 

 (p. 30). Possibly the peas of our voyagers had become infested with 

 insects which proved attractive to our handsome Scalops, rather than 

 the peas themselves ! 



4. Family PHOCIDyE.— The Seals. 



1. Genus LOBODON, Grai/, Zool. Voy. Erebus aud Terror, Mammalia, p. 5 (1844). 



1. LoBODON CARCINOPHAGA {Homh. et Jacq.) 



Phoca carcinophac/a, HoMBRON and Jacquinot, Zool. Voy. Astrolabe and Zelee, 

 Mammalia, PI. X (name on plate). 



Sfenorhi/nchus serrideas, 0■WE^f, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. XII, p. 331 (1843). 

 Halichoerus antarclicus, Peale, Zool. Exp. Exp. Vincennes, Mammalia, p. 30 (1848).* 



A very fine specimen of this species is in the collection of the Expe- 



* "Four posterior molar teeth in both jaws double-rooted, their crowns many-lobed; 

 canine teeth, stout, curved, of a moderate length, and channelled on the inside ; cutting- 

 teeth, short, simple, curved. 



" The general form of the body, short and fullj the forefeet very short, covered with 

 hair beneath ; the five claws nearly equal in length and thickness, but slightly curved, 

 and reaching beyond the intercarpal membrane ; hind feet triangular in form when ex- 

 panded ; nails, long, flat, straight, middle one of the five smallest, the outer ones largest 

 and nearly equal in size, all reach beyond the intertarsal membranes ; tail, flat, short, 

 round, with but a slight point at the extremity ; nose, covered with hair, excepting a 

 ■very small spot between the nostrils, which are situated in front of the snout, and are 

 linear in form ; whiskers and tuft of bristles above the brow, large, flattened, undulated 

 on the edges, and of a pale yellow color or white. Hair, very stout, close set and flat, 

 the points curve forward when dry, and give the skin a velvety appearance. 



" Length from the nose to the end of the tail, four feet ; hind toes reaching three and 

 three-quarter inches beyond ; fore leg, measured along the front, four and three-tenths 

 inches; nails, one and two-tenths of an inch ; hind feet, measured from the body, six inches ; 

 outer nails, one and one-tenth of an inch; middle nails, seven-eighths of an inch; whis- 

 kers, four and a half inches; eyebrows, two and four-tenths inches. 



"Dental formula: incisors, |; canine, | j ; molars, 11= 34." 



7 



