566 Prof. Milne — Across Europe and Asia. 
tbe difficulty.” Before at once accepting tliese views of Mr. Wallace 
in the adoption of Mr. Belt’s idea as to the origin of the Siberian 
Steppes, to wbich latter I bave already referred at lengtb, I will 
relate the few facts I collected, all of wbich, I think, have a bearing 
on this interesting speculation. 
When at Irkutsk I saw a Baikal seal. It. was short and thick, 
and said to be a young one. It bad a generally greyish colour, but 
ratlier darker on tbe back tban upon tbe otber portions of its body. 
As tbe seals grow older, the body deepens in colour. One thing that 
I was distinctly told was tbat tbey are never marked witb spots or 
patches. 
Tbe only seal that I bave seen wbich is anything like tbe Baikal 
Seal is tbe so-called bay seal of Newfoundland and Labrador, wbich 
often ascends rivers and permanently inbabits inland lakes. Speak- 
ing from niemory, wbich is unfortunately of but little value in 
making the nice distinctions wbich are required wben establishing 
tbe identity or distinction of two species, tbese latter seals are more 
elegant in their proportions tban those from Lake Baikal, and, what 
is more, at certain periods of their existence, tbey have various 
markings developed on their skin — a feature wbich is absent in tbe 
Baikal seals. 
The head-quarters of the seal in the Baikal Lake are at its nortbern 
end, but in winter tbey collect round those portions wbich are said 
to retnain unfrozen. 
I also heard that seals are found in Lake Kosogol, across the 
borders, further to the soutb; tbey are also reported as existing in 
anot’her lake lying to the east, and in the Oron Lake to the nortb- 
east. If this is true, and, from the relations wbich tbe fauna of otber 
lakes bear to tbat of tbe Baikal, it is not unlikely, then we shall 
bave a striking piece of evidence indicating to us tbe probable way 
in wbich these lakes may have originated. 
Across tbe nortbern end of the lake a series of soundings have 
been made by M. Debovsky, of Irkutsk, who also examined its 
fauna. Tbe greatest depth attained at this end was 1373 feet. In 
some places it is stated as being 800 fathoms. This is very deep, 
but if we were to draw a section across tbe lake, wbich would be 
about forty-five miles long, tbe magnitude of this would be seen to 
be more or less apparent. Tbe bottom consists of various materials, 
such as pebbles, clay, rocks, and sand. Tbe fish of tbe lake form a 
great trade, and supply many vessels upon its waters. Many of 
tbese vessels come down tbe Angara as far as Irkutsk, wliere tbey 
discbarge their cargo. The commonest of tbese fish, wbich I had 
many times tbe pleasure of eating, were Coregonus omul and Lota 
vulgaris. These two fish, wbich are known respectively as tbe 
omool and naleem, are to be seen in tbe house of every Siberian. 
and they are esteemed so mucli tbat tbey may sometimes be found 
amongst the Russian residents in China. The omool is peculiar, I 
believe, to tbe Baikal ; but tbe naleem is found farther west. Other 
fish inhabiting the lake are : Idus vielanotus, Acanthopsis toenia, 
and Perca fluvialilis : tbese are also found farther west. Salmo 
