MU. T. SOUTH WILL ON THE HKAKDKH SEAL (PIIOCA UAUUATA) .357 
The tale told by Hudson not being in all respects satisfac- 
tory, the Rev. »S. E. Blomefield of Burnham Sutton (also Rector 
of Burnham Overy), was so kind as to make inquiries for me 
on the spot, and learned from a man named Rudd that lie 
•assisted by three others, Parr, Atkins, and Smith, captured this 
Seal in a creek in Overy Harbour by driving it into a strong net in 
which it became entangled, they then placed it in a donkey cart, 
and brought it home ; afterwards they put it into a boat with water, 
and exhibited it in the neighbourhood ; amongst others to 
Mr. Blomefield and his family. This account of the capture was 
subsequently confirmed through another source with some additional 
particulars of no importance, in reply to inquiries instituted by 
Colonel Feilden, of Wells. The precise date of capture I cannot 
ascertain ; but it was some time before May, 18'J2. After some 
months Rudd sold the Seal to a man at Lynn known as “Tater 
Billy,” who proves to be William Hudson. 
In his memoir on the Seals in the Challenger Reports (voL xxvi. 
part 2, p. 61) Sir William Turner points out that Phora barbatu 
differs externally from the other species of Phora “in having a 
broader muzzle, in the middle digit of the manus being the longest, 
instead of the digits slightly decreasing in length from first to fifth,* 
and in possessing four and not two mammae.” To this may be 
added, as stated in my little book on the ‘ Seals and Whales,’ that the 
mysiacial bristles are “simply flattened hairs without the impressed 
pattern found in the bristles of tin 1 known British species,” this latter 
1 believe to be a good and ready mode of distinguishing this 
species. Of course the cranial characters afford the best mode of 
distinction : but these are not always available. 
The capture of this animal off the coast of Norfolk is of great 
interest, as so far as is known it had not been previously met with 
in Britain ; it is the fourth species of Seal which has been obtained 
in Norfolk waters, two of these species being the only examples of 
their kind known to the British Fauna. 
1 wish to record my indebtedness to Mr. Laver, Dr. Plowright, 
and the Rev. S. E. Blomefield for the very considerable amount of 
trouble they took in assisting me to trace and identify this 
interesting capture. 
* lleuce the name of “ Square flipper ” amongst the Sealers. 
VOL. v. 
P P 
