head and the upper part of its body, supporting itself on its fore-paws to the height of the hand which held the fish; for it was scarcely satisfied with any other aliment, having a preference for carp, and still more for eels; these, though raw, were seasoned to its taste by rolling them in salt. It required about thirty pounds of these live fish every day; it greedily swallowed the eels entire, and even the carp which were first offered it, but, after devouring two or three entire, it subjected them to some preparation, by crushing their heads with its teeth, then partially gutting them, and concluded by gulping them head foremost.

The keepers of this animal stated it could live for days, and even for more than a month, without entering the water, provided it were washed every evening with clean water, and had plenty of salt water to drink, for, when it drank fresh water, and especially if it were not quite pure, it was always sure to be injured by it.

This individual was seven and a half feet long; its skin was covered with a short smooth shining hair of a brown colour, mixed with grey principally upon the neck and head, where it was spotted; the fur was thicker on the back and side than on the belly, where there was a large white marking, which mounted up upon the flanks. The nostrils were neither inclined, nor were they placed as in terrestrial quadrupeds, but extended vertically on the extremity of the snout; they were three or four inches long, and when open, about two inches wide;

they were then of an oval shape, contracted at their extremities. The eyes were large, full, of a brown colour, and like those of an ox. When the creature is long out of the water, the eye becomes bloodshot, especially at the angles. The mouth, too, is large, and surrounded with strong whiskers, almost like fish bones. Instead of the external ear there was only a small opening which was almost concealed in the skin, and, though it was scarcely longer than a line, the animal had, nevertheless, very acute hearing.

This Seal was taken on the coast of Dalmatia, about 200 miles from Venice, and lived in a state of domestication nearly two years.*

To this detailed description of Buffon we shall subjoin from the interesting memoir of M. F. Cuvier such particulars as throw additional light on the animal's organization or habits.† "The Seals," he remarks, "are animals, so very remarkable for their intelligence and organization, that we should assiduously collect every fact that can elucidate their history. These considerations have determined me to give a description of a female which was taken in 1811, and which is at present (1813) exhibiting to the public, and has not yet, I believe, been described. For two years it has been kept in a trough, which scarcely exceeds its own dimensions, being only one foot longer, and two feet broader, than itself. It every day receives several pounds of fresh

Hist. Naturel. Supplem., t. vi. p. 310. ↑ Annal. du Museum, t. xx. p. 387.

N

water fish, and usually spends nine or ten consecutive hours in water ten inches deep. At the close of the day the water is removed, that the animal may be dry during the night, and, in spite of this artificial mode of life, it enjoys excellent health.

"It would be a mistake to suppose that Seals are deficient in intelligence; on the contrary, it is certain that they have more than most quadrupeds, more even than dogs originally. They (some of them) are tamed without difficulty; they recognise those who feed them, and become attached to them; they also understand and obey them, and finally forget their former independence, and, by a second nature, enjoy their society with men.

sides of the head, When it is dry, the

"The length of this animal is between seven and eight feet, and the general form is very like that of the Common Seal. Its colour in the water is black on the head, back, tail, and upper part of the feet, whilst the chest, sides, and belly, and the under portion of the neck, tail, paws, and are of a yellowish light-grey. black portions are not so deeply coloured, and the white parts are more yellow. The skin is everywhere of a slatey colour. The tail is three inches long, and without movement; the eyes are large, and the cornea is very flat in comparison of other quadrupeds; two hairs, similar to those of the lip, are seen above each eye; the pupil exactly resembles that of the domestic cat; the nostrils are naturally closed, and open only at the will of the animal; the ear has no trace of an external auricle; the ori

fice of the auditory canal is situated nearly opposite

the tympanum.

"This Seal devours its food without chewing it, and, after having removed the viscera, it always takes it into its mouth in such a direction that the fins and scales offer no obstacle to its easy passage. It sleeps throughout the live-long night, and cannot be kept awake during the day without the most unceasing perseverance. During sleep it is often observed covered with the water at the bottom of its trough, where of course it cannot breathe, and there it continues for an hour at a time."

We have nothing to add to these minute statements, except the remark of Baron Cuvier, that the average length of this species, when fully grown is between ten and twelve feet. We have already remarked, that it has long been known to frequent the Adriatic Gulf, and, of course, the shores of Greece. M. de la Marmora mentions that it is also found on the coasts of Sardinia.*

• Voyage en Sardaigne, p. 173.

THE STEMMATOPUS, OR CROWNED GENUS OF F. CUVIER.

The Stemmatopus, or Crowned-brow of M. F. Cuvier, receives its name from certain soft appendages which are connected with the forehead and other parts about the cranium. Speaking of the Mitrata, M. Cuvier states, it is remarkable for the extreme development of the cranial cavity; and the Baron observes, "The head of this Seal, when compared with the common one, is somewhat longer, and much broader, especially in the cranial portion; the orbital space longer and flatter, and the muzzle much shorter. There are only four incisors in the upper jaw, the middle ones being very small, and only two small ones in the lower; there are five molars on each side of each jaw; they are somewhat compressed, striated, and have their cutting portions marked by three lobes, and many small indentations."* The formulary is

2.1.5

30.

Oss. Foss. p. 211.