4© Analyses of Books . [January 
experience. The idea that the knowledge of where to migrate is 
a mysterious gift of nature, the miraculous quality of which is 
attempted to be concealed under the semi-scientific term of in- 
stinCt, appears to be without any foundation in faCt.” 
We must here conclude our notice of this pleasant and in- 
structive volume, which we recommend to all lovers of natural 
history. 
History of North American Pinnipeds ; a Monograph of the 
Walruses , Sea-lions , Sea-bears, and Seals of North America. 
By J. A. Allen. Washington : Government Printing 
Office. 
We have here a valuable and singularly complete monograph of 
an order whose characteristics, distribution, and synonymy have 
till lately been involved in much confusion. It is strange to 
learn that even during the first quarter of the present century, 
the walrus was allowed to rank with such utterly remote forms 
as the elephant, the beaver, and the ornithorhynchus. Mr. Allen 
describes all the species which frequent the seas and coasts of 
North America. He accepts the division of the order into three 
families, the Odobaenidas, Otariidas, and Phocidae, the last 
mentioned, or the common seals, being the lowest and most 
generalised group. Under each species we find given the 
synonymy and bibliography — in many cases a very complicated 
subject — the external characters, sexual, individual differences, 
measurements of skulls, dentition, fossil remains, geographical 
distribution, habits, products, food, e'nemies, besides minor 
points. A very remarkable circumstance is that throughout the 
order the young are produced on land, and do not enter what is 
considered their natural element for some weeks. Concerning 
the sea-lion ( Zalophus calif ornianus), it is stated that the cubs 
“ manifest great aversion to the water.” The young sea-bears 
( Callorhinus ursinus) are at first very feeble and awkward in the 
water, and that “ if put into it before they are five or six weeks old 
will drown as quickly as a young chicken.” It is difficult to 
avoid the conclusion that the whole order is descended from 
some terrestrial carnivorous form, and has not yet become per- 
fectly adapted to an aquatic life. Provided the temperature is 
sufficiently low they do not appear to suffer from a prolonged 
residence on shore, and in Sweden a young grey seal (Halichce- 
rus grypus), has been known to travel at least thirty miles 
over land. As the food of all the species consists of fish, mol- 
lusca, and crustaceans, they are ultimately obliged to return to 
the sea. 
Throughout the order we recognise a very high development 
of the brain and the nervous system, and most of the species are 
