OCR Text |
Show 1868.J MR. R. BROWN ON THE SEALS OF GREENLAND. 427 Graskal (Swedish); Sjoskdl, Utskdrsskdl, and Krumnos (various Scandinavian local names); Tapvaistl (western islands of Scotland) ; Haaffish (northern islands of Scotland). General remarks.-The Grey Seal ha3 no doubt been frequently confounded with other species, particularly Phoca barbata and the female of Pagophilus groenlandicus. It does not seem to frequent the high seas, though possibly this species may be confounded with the " Ground-Seal" and some forms of the " Saddleback." It is said to produce on the coast of Sweden in February, and to have one pup at a birth, of a white colour, which attains the dark-grey colour of the adult species in about fourteen days. In 1861, a little south of Disco Island, we killed a Seal the skull of which proved it to be of this species; and again this summer I saw a number of skins in Egedesminde and other settlements about Disco Bay which appeared to be of this species. Though the natives do not seem to have any name for it, the Danish traders with whom I talked were of opinion that the Graskal, with which they were acquainted as an inhabitant of the Cattegat, occasionally visited South and the more southerly northern portions of Greenland with the herds of Atak (P. groenlandicus). The skull to which I refer, though carefully examined at the time, was afterwards accidentally destroyed by a young Polar Bear, which formed one of our ship's company on that northern voyage; therefore, though perfectly convinced of its being entitled to be classed as a member of the Greenland fauna, I am not in a position to assert this with more confidence than as being a very strong probability. It should be carefully looked for among the herds of P. groenlandicus when they arrive on the coast. Its hunting forms nowhere an important branch of industry; it is, however, killed on the Scandinavian coasts, at various places, where it is most abundant. A large Grey Seal about eight feet in length will yield (the Swedes say) about 12 lispunds of blubber, equal in value to 36 rigsdaler banco (Swedish); and the hide, which is as large as an ox-hide, will bring the value of such a Seal up to the sum of 60 rigsdaler banco (Swedish)*. I have seen and examined this Seal in various collections, and have seen it alive on the coasts of the Cattegat, & c , and among the northern islands of Scotland, but can add nothing of additional value to the excellent account of Nilsson in his ** Skandi-naviske Fauna' (Forsta Delen, Daggdjuren, 1847), pp. 298-310. (6) TRICHECHUS ROSMARUS, Linn. Trichechus rosmarus, Linn. Rosmarus arcticus, Pall. Trichechus obesus et T. divergens, 111. (fide Gray). Odobcenus rosmarus (L.), Sundeval, Uebers. der Verhandl. der Akad. der Wiss. 1859, p. 441. * In the kjokkenmodding of Denmark, in company with remains of the Castor fiber and Bos primigenius are found those of Halichcerus grypus, showing it to have been at one time sufficiently abundant to form part of the food of the primitive inhabitants of Scandinavia. |