THE CRESTED SEAL. Ph. Cristata.-GMELIN. PLATE XIV. Ph. Cristata, Gmel. Desm. 371. Stem. Cristatus, F. Cuv. Leonina, Fab. Neitersoak, Crantz. Clapmutz of Egede, and the Northern Seal-fishers. The Crested Seal of Anson and Ellis. It is not without considerable hesitation we place the Crested Seal in the same genus with the Mitrata. M. F. Cuvier and Lesson associate it with the next genus, (Macrorhinus ;) but solely because they identify it with the Elephant Seal, an animal from which it greatly differs. By others, again, it has been identified with the Mitrata; whilst much opposing evidence recently procured shows the inaccuracy of this conclusion. The details within our reach, especially regarding the dental apparatus, are still too few to enable us to come to a definite classi * The name Hooded Seal, given by Pennant and Shaw, as well as the popular French name à Capuchon, we regard as pe. culiarly unfortunate, as confounding this species with the next. fication; but such as have been obtained will be supplied. For our plate of the Cristata we are indebted to a Transatlantic Naturalist, who commends the draughtsman for "the very faithful delineation he has given." The plate elucidates an account of the animal, read by Dr Dekay to the New York Lyceum of Natural History. Though we have been enabled to present our readers with an accurate representation of this Seal, yet we have failed in procuring the accompanying account. It was published in the "Annals" of the New York Lyceum, which appeared monthly, and we have been able to procure the 4th number only, containing the plate, but not the 3d, wherein nearly the whole description is contained. We have to add that, for the expressive colouring of our plate, we are indebted to Mr Boswell, already honourably named on page 168. In favouring us with a fine specimen of the skin, he informed us that, next to the Rough Seal, this, which is very uniform in its markings, is the most frequently met with in the trade: it so entirely agrees with the following descriptions, that we do not hesitate to supply it as the skin of the Crested Seal. The following is the description of this Seal, as given by the distinguished Fabricius. Though he applies to it the name of Leonina, which is unfortunate in many ways, yet he immediately adds, "Phoca capite antice cristato," with a crest on its forehead. He says it attains the length of eight feet. The indivi dual he had under his examination was only seven and a half feet long; its teeth corresponded with the account given above, with this addition, that in one specimen he had seen six molars in the lower jaw. He adds, a tuberculous body like an inflated bladder, keel-shaped in the middle, covered the anterior part of the head, and so preserved the forehead. This protuberance was confined to the males; the females and young having it quite rudimentary, forming a slight projection on the part. Moreover, in addition to the true nostrils, the male had spurious tuberculous ones, sometimes single, and sometimes double, according to their age. The mystachial bristles were long, whitish, curled, compressed at their base, and obtuse at the points. The eye was large and black, with a brown iris; there was no external auricle, and the orifice was very small. The body of this species is long and robust, covered with long somewhat erect hair, very woolly and thick underneath. The fore-paw is somewhat in the form of a human foot, the thumb corresponding to the great toe, and the others gradually getting shorter. The colour varies according to the age, being darkest in the aged: the head, tail, and feet, are black, so are the other parts, but spotted with grey spots, deepest, however, on the back; the younger are fairer ; during the first year they are white, the upper part of the back being slate grey; the second year they are snow white, with a straight line of a brown colour on their back. To this account of the accurate Fabricius, we - subjoin some interesting particulars which are appended by Drs Ludlow and King to Dr Dekay's memoir. Their account of the sac-like crest is as follows: "About two inches from the extremity of the upper jaw, on the superior surface, arises a cartilaginous crest, rapidly increasing in height, as it passes backwards, being about seven inches in height at its posterior or vertical edge, which is separated into two planes by an intervening depression of an inch in depth. Its superior edge is slightly convex, and the whole structure is clearly an elongation of the septum of the nose, the true nostrils opening on each side of it by an oblong fissure. This crest runs into the hood or sac-like appendage of the head. This hood is strongly muscular, with an aggregation of circular fibres round its external orifices, which are two, situated at the lower anterior part of the head. These probably served the purpose of sphincters, so as perfectly to close the sac. The length of the upper jaw beyond this crest is chiefly attributable to the intermaxillary bones, which are long and broad." The following is their interesting account of the eye:-" The eye is very peculiar, perfectly spherical, with the nerve entering directly in the axis of the ball. The sclerotic or external covering is divided at its middle entirely round; its two edges being connected by an elastic membrane thickly covered by muscles. The posterior half is subdivided into four longitudinal segments, extending from its edge to within a quarter of an inch of the entrance of the optive nerve. This structure, by elongating the axis of vision, may enable the animal more clearly to discern distant objects, and also, by the reverse, to draw the eye deep within the socket during repose, especially as there are no moveable eye-lids, but only the membrana nictitans; the lens is spherical; the iris is broad, and evidently muscular." For the reason already assigned, we can supply little information from Dr Dekay himself. Respecting the teeth, he remarks on one occasion, "that they almost exactly correspond with those of the Mitred Seal;" and he says again, "the jaw teeth are more closely approximated, the furrows in them are deeper, and the last two are doubly furrowed." "The dilatable sac," he remarks, "which comes over its head, and which, when swollen up, appears like bladders, is covered with short brown hair. The opinion of the fishermen regarding this appendage is, that it is a sort of reservoir for air, which the animal uses when under water. Its great bulk, however, when distended, would prevent the animal from descending freely, or moving with facility beneath the surface of the water. The connection of the nostrils with the hood, the configuration of this part, and its internal structure, indicate its importance as subsidiary to the sense of smell. The weak arms of offence and defence allotted to this animal render it necessary that this faculty should be exercised in the greatest possible degree. The hair of its hide is soft and long, and woolly under |