perils and adventures not less disastrous and exciting than the Whale-fishery itself. But on these we must not dwell.

With regard to the Seal-fishery of the South, the English and Americans have exclusively divided it between them, and with very great profits. It has lately been stated that they together employ not fewer than sixty vessels in the trade, of from 250 to 300 tons burden. These vessels are strongly built, and have each six boats, like those of the whalers, together with a small vessel of forty tons, which is put in requisition when they reach the scene of their operations. The crew consists of about twenty-four hands; their object frequently being to select a certain fixed locality, from which they make their various battues. Thus it is very common for the ship to be moored in some secure bay, and to be partially unrigged, whilst, at the same time, the furnaces, &c. required for making the oil, are placed on shore. The little cutter is then rigged and manned with about half the crew, who sail about the neighbouring islands, and send a few hands on shore when they see Seals, or where they wish to watch for them. This vessel can hold about 200 Seals, rudely cut up, which will yield about 100 barrels of oil: this is transported to head-quarters and melted. The campaign frequently lasts for three years, and in the midst of unheard-of privations and dangers. Some of the crew are sometimes left on distant barren spots, and the others being driven off by storms, they are

G

left to perish, or drag out for years a most piecarious and wretched existence.

On the subject of classification we mean not to enter into any extended statements. The Amphibious is the third tribe, of the third family, Carnivora, of the third order Carnassiers of Baron Cuvier; and comprehends the Walrus and the Seals, a very natural group, which has been designated the Phocacious group, or the Phocacea. Originally all the Seals were included under one genus; but as their number, and ascertained differences, increased, it was suggested by Buffon that they should be divided into two groups; it having been observed that some of them had no external ears, whilst others were possessed of these appendages. Peron carried this suggestion into execution, and proposed the term Otary for the latter division, in which he has been followed by most Naturalists, and amongst others by Baron Cuvier, who remarks" The Otaries of Peron differ in several particulars from the Seals properly so called, independently of the small concha at their ears." This distinction accordingly will be observed in the following pages. M. F. Cuvier, after having very carefully re-examined the group, and finding some marked differences in the dental apparatus, proposed a new arrangement, grounded mainly thereupon. He demonstrated that the Seals may be divided into many generic groups, characterized by organic modifications, not less marked than those which distinguish the most natural genera; and added,

We

that their common characters elevate them into the rank of an order, according to the prevailing principles of classification. "Far," says he, "from forming only one natural genus, they constitute a distinct order, which is composed of many genera, which comprehend numerous species."* We estimate highly the value of M. Cuvier's labours in this department, and believe that he pushed his discoveries as far as it was possible at the time. think his arrangement will probably be adopted, and, accordingly, after the example furnished by the Règne Animal, we will indicate it as we proceed, without, however, abandoning the simpler division of Peron.. Having thus stated the simple arrangement which we mean to follow, we may now add, that Dumeril places these animals in his last family but one of the Mammalia, immediately before the Whales, and that Latreille, in his Familles Naturelles du Règne Animal, makes them his fifth order, that of the Amphibia, the first family of which is the Seals and Otaries. Of all our modern Naturalists, however, we believe that Professor Nilsson, of the University of Lund, is the individual who has most assiduously devoted attention to this difficult department of Zoology. His work is speedily expected; and it is confidently anticipated that much of the doubt and confusion which still envelope the subject will then be removed. We regret that we have not been able to

Mammifères, 1824.

avail ourselves of his valuable researches, as our task would thus have been greatly facilitated, and our treatise rendered more valuable and complete. Along with this regret, however, we are unwilling to forego the hope that our protracted and independent, though feeble efforts, have thereby been rendered additionally productive, and that we have thus been enabled to contribute more to enhance the interest, and elucidate the difficulties, of the subject.

HOTHE

THE WALRUS, OR SEA-HORSE.

We commence our account of the group of the Amphibia with that animal, which, though neither the largest, nor perhaps the most remarkable, yet cannot be regarded without wonder and astonishment. Its cranium is quite unique; and as this remarkable portion of the Osteology, including the dental apparatus, has received great prominence in the classification of its congeners, we prefix representations originally published by Daubenton, and on which little need be said. It represents the peculiar shape of the head, the most remarkable part of the animal. It will at once be observed, that the strange