MEDITERRANEAN SEAL. 
255 
then of a mild disposition, though ferocious when 
first taken. Mr. Pennant's figure seems to differ 
considerably from Buffon's, which latter has a 
much thicker neck, larger head, and shorter snout 
in proportion. It Avas particularly fond of eels 
and carp, with Avhich it was fed during the time 
of its captivity, and which were first rolled in 
salt, in order to render them more agreeable to 
the animal. 
MEDITERRANEAN SEAL. 
Phoca Monachus. P. capite inauriculato, dentihus incisorihus utrius- 
que maxilla quatuor, palmis indinjisis, plantis exunguiculatis. Lin, 
Syst. Nat. Gmel. p. 64. 
Hermann act. nat. scrutat. Berol. 4./, 456. /. 12, I 3. 
Earless Seal, with four cutting-teeth in each jaw, the fore feet 
undivided, the hinder pinniform and without claws. 
Mediterranean Seal. Pennant ^adr, p. 273. 
This species has obtained the name of Mona- 
chus, or cowled Seal, from the looseness or width 
of the skin behind the neck, which, when the 
animal is placed on its back, folds like a monk's 
cowl. It inhabits the Mediterranean Sea, growing 
to the length of more than eight feet. The head is 
small: the neck longer than that of the common 
Seal; the orifices of the ears not larger than a 
pea: the hair short and rude: the colour dusky, 
spotted with ash-colour: the toes on the fore feet 
have nails, but the hind feet resemble fins, and 
have no nails. This species seems to have been 
