sagacity in the water much exceeds that which they exhibit on shore; for though they are fitted to remain a certain time on land, their native element is the water."

The fur skin of this valuable animal is prepared for the market in a manner different from what is employed in the preparation of most others. The long hair, which conceals the fur, is first removed, and this is done by heating the skin, and then carding it with a large wooden knife prepared for the purpose. The fur then appears in all its perfection, and sells in China for about two or three dollars, and in England (where, indeed, they are now scarcely to be found) at about three times that price. Not many years ago they were used as linings and borders of cloaks and mantles, and for fur-caps, &c. &c.

In addition to the Seals which are well ascertained, Naturalists have been in the habit of giving a list of those which have been indicated by some respectable authority, but so slightly as still to remain doubtful. We now follow this example, commencing with the Ribbon-Seal of Pennant. This is characterized by a very short fine, glossy, bristly hair, of a uniform colour, almost black, marked along the sides, and towards the head and tail, with a stripe of a pale yellow colour, exactly resembling a ribbon laid on by art. The very curious form is represented above, from a drawing communicated by the celebrated Pallas to Mr Pennant. Of the animal generally nothing is known, though it appeared to be large. It was transmitted from one of the remotest Kurile Islands.

The following list, which might be much extended, is taken chiefly from the recent French

We close this list of doubtful Seals by alluding to the still more doubtful

ALLEGED SEA-APE.

Ir may increase the interest felt regarding the alleged existence of an animal under this name to introduce it in association with the peculiar views supported by Mr Swainson. "In the circle of the Feræ the natatorial type is represented by the Seals, and the corresponding type of the Quadrumana is at present most assuredly wanting. Whatever its precise construction may, or might have been, a resemblance to the Monkeys must be considered an essential character of any marine animal, which is to connect and complete the circular series of types in the Quadrumana. That some such creature has really been created we have not, says Mr S., a shadow of a doubt ;* and in confirmation of this belief,

• Classificat. of Quad. Lard. Cyc. p. 97.

a Simia Marina, which he states was found in the Red Sea. Aldrovandi* copies this, and supplies a representation not more rude than apocryphal. A second, still more singular, he gives from Gesner.

gone

It was only after the foregoing pages had to press that the following account of the distribution of the olfactory nerve attracted our notice; and it bears so directly on the somewhat obscure subject of the development of the nervous system, and more especially of the senses, of the Seal group, and so completely confirms the sentiments we ventured to express on the point, p. 69, that we deem it expedient, even here, to introduce the accompanying wood-cut and explanation, derived, we believe, from

the following quotation from Steller is adduced :Mr Steller saw on the coast of America a very singular animal, which he calls a Sea-Ape. It was five feet long; the head was like a dog's; the ears were sharp and erect, and the eyes large; there was on both lips a sort of beard. The form of its body was thick and round, being thickest near the head and tapering to the tail, which was bifurcated, and the upper lobe was the longest; the body was covered with thick hair, grey on the back, and red on the belly. Steller could discover neither paw nor foot. It was full of frolic, and played a thousand monkey tricks; sometimes swimming on one side, sometimes on the other, of the ship, looking at it with great amazement. It would come so near the ship, that it might be touched with a pole; but if any one stirred, it would immediately retire. It often raised one-third of its body out of the water, and stood erect for a considerable time; it then suddenly darted under the ship, and appeared in the same attitude on the other side; and it would repeat this manœuvre thirty times together. It would frequently bring up a sea plant, not unlike a bottle gourd, which it would toss about and catch again in its mouth, playing numberless fantastic tricks with it."* This is not the place to trace the history of this alleged animal, which was more familiarly, we do not say more accurately, known in the days of Steller than at the present time. Elian gives a description of

• Pennant's Quad. vol. ii. p. 301.