already defcribed being a female, I was the better 
able to fee now far the prefent phoca differs from 
that. And indeed, altho’ 1 will not abfolutely pro- 
nounce it a male at prefent, yet, I confefs, I had 
much rather incline to think it fo, than otherwife, 
for the following reafons : I. Tho’ I feveral times 
went to view it with the greateft care, held it up by 
the tail, and turn’d it as I thought proper, I could 
difeern no pudenda like that of the former ; there 
being no aperture under the tail, but the anus. 2. I 
could net difeern any mamillary veftiges in the lead 
upon any part of the belly; and, 3. at fome di- 
dance behind the umbilical regions, about the place 
where one would mod naturally expeCt to find a penis 
in the males of viviparous animals, there is a roundifh 
vent or hole, not at all projecting from the body. 
Now the want of the marks above-mention’d feems 
to befpeak the following query; Whether this vent 
may not probably be the place, from whence a penis 
is protruded upon proper occasions ? becaufe, if this 
animal had a penis , which, like that of other ani- 
mals, was prominent from the furface of the body, 
it would be torn to pieces ; as he is a mere reptile, 
dragging his hinder parts along fhores, rocks, dony 
places, lands, and fuch-like, when he is out of the 
water, being in no-wife able to raife his body from 
the ground by the poderior webs ; and therefore it is 
more reafonable to fuppofe the penis concealed, and 
occafionally capable of extrufion; and no author, that 
I know of, makes any mention of this matter to fa- 
tisfy the curious about it. And as to what the fer- 
vant, attending the phoca , reports, concerning a men- 
ftrual difeharge from it, I have examined him about 
