A large arch first presents itself, and after rowing through dark vaults the light of the sun bursts in from the lofty opening above. The boat then pursues its gloomy course through another extensive perforation, which at length expands into an immense cavern, where the light of the sun is wholly excluded. In the innermost recesses there is a steep beach, which terminates in small dens, where the larger Seals and haaf fish (the barbata) consort, and where the females produce their young and suckle them. It is customary for two boats' crew, of the island of Papa, to go to this place at certain seasons of the year, armed with thick clubs, and well provided with candles. They attack the Seals with their weapons, stun them by a blow on the head, and immediately put them to death. The animals boldly step forward in defence of their young; they face their destroyers, and with their teeth often wrench the clubs out of their hands. But the attempt is vain. The walls of the gloomy recesses are stained with their blood, and numbers of dead victims are carried off." (P. 551.)

Mr Edmonston informs us that these Bearded Seals are sometimes taken by setting a net across the entrance of the cave, into which they retire, and then firing a piece to alarm them. "It is surprising to see with what force they struggle under water, when entangled in the net, and the length of time they can remain without respiring. I once witnessed the capture of one in this way. It strug

gled more than twenty-five minutes without ever performing a single respiration, and when brought to the surface was still alive."

Fabricius states that this species frequents the high seas round Greenland, especially delighting in the floating fragments of ice; that it resorts to land principally in the spring time, and is then found among the retired islets. Giesecké says it is seldom met with on the coasts of West Greenland. In these quarters it is regarded both timid and incautious; and the older ones are remarked to swim but slowly. It is highly esteemed by the Greenlanders. Though it does not yield much oil, yet its lard is deemed "most delicious." The flesh has also been stated by Pennant to be as white as veal and hence it is regarded as the most delicate of any,

We may here introduce the few observations contained in the manuscript so often alluded to, concerning the third variety of the Western Islands, in the hope that further attention will be directed to the subject.

"The Bodach, or old man, is by much the least of all the Seals with which I am acquainted; and, indeed, so small, that for a long time I entertained the idea (contrary to the firm opinion of the natives) that it was the young of the Common Seal. This view, however, I consider to be erroneous, for they are not even the size of a Seal three months old of the common kind. Besides, they are frequently killed of this size with grey beards and decayed teeth. I have frequently noticed that when on shore, on the same rock with other Seals, they do not lie near them, but a little way apart. They are but few in number, and I cannot recollect of seeing any two of them together. They are not, however, at all so shy as the Common Seal, nor so solitary as the Tapvaist."

Loc. cit. 295.

THE PIED SEAL.

PLATE VI.

Phoca bicolor, Cuv. Pied Seal of Pen. Shaw, Bingley, Fleming.

THOUGH there are no data by which to determine the genus to which this Seal belongs, yet as associated with British species, this is probably the best place to introduce the scanty notice which we have of it.

A curious mistake was committed in relation to this Seal. Pennant, who first described, and furnished a good engraving of it, considered it as the same as the White-bellied Seal of Buffon, and attached this appellation as a synonym, The next

Seal he noticed in his treatise was the Monk Seal of Herman, so making this last distinct from that of Buffon, who, however, had described the identical animal which was so accurately examined by Herman. Dr Shaw followed Mr Pennant in his errors, which led Baron Cuvier to remark-"The Seal (Ph. bicolor) which Pennant regarded as a variety of the Ph. à ventre blanc is very far from belonging to that species."* No one can look at the two

Oss. Foss. v. 215.

figures without perceiving there is a great difference between them.

It is true, that, with regard to this creature, we desiderate all the interesting and accurate information which we have regarding the Monk Seal. Though it was seen by thousands, it was examined by none. The respect, however, which we owe to the name of the celebrated Pennant forbids us altogether to disregard his indication of it. "I first," says he, 66 saw this Seal at Chester; it was taken near that city in May 1766. On the first capture its skin was naked, like that of the Porpoise, and only the head, and a small spot beneath each leg, was hairy. Before it died the hair began to grow on other parts. The fore part of the head was black, whilst the hind part of the head and the throat were white; beneath each fore-leg there was a spot of the same colour; the hind feet were a dull white colour; the rest of the animal was entirely black. It was probably a young one. Its nose was taper, and elongated, and the feet exhibited the usual peculiarities of its congeners."* Mr Jenyns, in the "Manual of British Vertebrate Animals," remarks, that this Seal is probably only a variety of the Common Seal.†

History of British Quadrupeds, vol. ii. Second Edition, + See Manual, &c. 1835, p. 16.

273.

THE HARP, OR GREENLAND SEAL.

Ph. Grænlandica.-MUL.

PLATE VII.

SPECIFIC CHARACTERS.-Molars arranged in a straight line, with a small interval between them; anterior tubercle obsolete; posterior margin of palate-bones almost directly transverse.

Ph. Grænlandica, Mul. Fab. Desm. (No. 376,) Calocephalus Grænlandicus, F. Cuv. Less. Identified by Baron Cuvier with the Ph. Oceanica of Lepechin. Attersoak of Crantz. Semilunaris Boddaert; Crescent Seal of Buff. Harp Seal and Half-Moon Seal of Pen. Shaw, and Newfoundland Hunters.,

By glancing at the synonyms, it will be observed that Muller, Fabricius, and Crantz, are the principal authorities for this Seal. Crantz states that it is nearly nine feet long, which, judging from the accounts of the far more accurate Fabricius, is a great exaggeration. He adds, it is almost wholly of a