to twenty young ones of both sexes. They swin about all together at sea, and also remain united when they repose on land. According to Forster, the sight or voice of man makes them flee, and throw themselves into the water; for, although they are large and strong, they are also timid; and when a man attacks them even with a good stick they rarely defend themselves, but retreat precipitately. They never commence an attack, or act on the offensive, so that a person may be in the midst of thein without any apprehension. The females never fight with each other, nor with the males, and seem to live in entire dependence upon the chief of the family; but when two grown males, or rather two heads of families, engage, all the females attend in their train, to witness the contest; and if the chief of another troop interfere with the combatants, either on one side or the other, his example is immediately followed by many other chiefs, and then the combat becomes almost general, and terminates only in a vast effusion of blood, and often even in the death of many of the males, whose females are instantly joined to the family of the victor. It has been remarked, that the very aged males do not interfere in these struggles; they seem aware of their weakness, and keep at a distance, remaining quiet in their favourite retreat. The lionesses endeavour to make their escape from the thick of the fight. Their maternal affection does not appear to be so strong as in some of their congeners, although Forster stated in his private memoir to Buffon, that he had sometimes seen them defend their young at the expense of their lives.* We in this place introduce a representation of a cranium, which must be regarded as interesting by the student, which, according to Baron Cuvier, probably belonged to the Sea-Lion, and we will venture to add to the Sea-Lion which is next to occupy our attention. "The It came to Paris from the Museum of M. Faujas. cranial front," says Cuvier, "is short when compared with the muzzle, as is the whole head when compared with its height. The zygomatic arch is short and high, as is likewise the lower jaw, with an acute posterior angle, and the whole ought to give a more than usual rounded external form."† *Buffon's Hist. Nat. Suppl. t. vi. p. 365. Oss. Foss. v. 222. Otaria Pernetti, Less. Platyr. Leoninus, F. Cuv. O. Jubata, Des. 380. O. Leonina, Peron, Sea-Lion of Pernetty. We now come to the Sea-Lion of Pernetty, and if any credit is to be attached to the drawings of Forster, as published by Buffon, we think there can be little doubt that Forster's Lion is a different animal from the present. Even before we had examined the valuable specimen, from which our representation is taken, we were disposed to regard Pernetty's Lion as distinct from the other. We draw this inference from Pernetty's own description and plate. This description will be immediately given; and we shall here only note that he expressly says "Il y a plusieurs sortes des Lions marins,"* and this after setting apart the Sea-Elephant, and the Sea-Bear, which comes next under review. With regard to Lib. s. cit. ii. 28. his figure, we always thought that it argued more inattention and error than we usually find in the learned Benedict, to suppose that he would represent Forster's Lion by the figure he has supplied. It is true his figure has been subjected to much disparaging criticism, and yet it would seem to be the best likeness of the animal which has hitherto been produced. We may likewise refer, as of some importance, to the short notice of Lieutenant Clayton, who says that the Sea-Lion is one of four amphibious animals which occurs at the Falkland Islands, and "that both the lion and lioness are bull-faced, with long shaggy hair."* We have only to look to Forster's figure to be convinced that it has no title to this character. It is, therefore, with considerable confidence that we present the above drawing as a correct representation of the animal described by Pernetty, which was brought from the antarctic regions some years ago, and transmitted to the Royal Museum of Edinburgh by the Honourable the Admiralty Board. We believe this is the first time (with the exception of Pernetty's labours just alluded to) that this SeaLion has been depicted or described, and therefore we shall here supply the external characters as far as they can be obtained from our specimen, which is truly a valuable one, and in excellent condition. The head is very large and round, and truncated anteriorly; the neck also is very large, and not well defined; the body too is robust, tapering toPhil. Trans. vol. lxvi. p. 102. wards the tail; the neck is covered all round with a distinct mane of coarse bristly hairs, between three and four inches long, of a brownish-black and greyish-white colour. The coat generally is of the same colour; not, however, so coarse, and very short and loose, lying close to the skin; on the under portion of the body it is of a deep brown colour. The face very much resembles that of the common Lion, the snout being even shorter; the nostrils are very large; the muzzle is short and full, covered with short, soft, brownish-black hair; the ears are quite distinct, though not long, and covered with hair. The fore-paws are nearly as far back as the middle of the body; they are falciform, and very strong; they have no appearance of nails, but have a long projecting membrane beyond the phalanges; the posterior extremities are long and broad, with four claws attached; the outer toe has none; the three next toes have the longest, the remaining nail is almost concealed; they are conical; beyond the claws are five strong projecting membranes. The skin of the outer half of the inferior part of the fore-paw, and nearly the whole of the inferior part of the hind-foot, is quite naked, and is deeply striped. The teeth are The incisors are conical, though, being much worn, we cannot speak decidedly; the two external are large, and resemble canines; the proper canines are large, more than an inch and a half long; the molars appear conical and truncated. 3.1.5 ? We add some of the principal measurements of our specimen. |