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Show 760 MR. J. W. CLARK ON EARED SEALS. [Nov. 18, hookeri $ in the British Museum. The two skeletons were not to be found : one only, in an incomplete state, was at length discovered ; its skull, much broken, the cranial portion alone being preserved, presented the same characteristics as the other. The two skins have been stuffed and are exhibited in the zoological gallery. They are Hair-Seals; the larger of the two, sex unknown, is about 5' long; its colour is a darkish grey, inclining to yellow; the other, rather smaller, is a female, and is of a uniform yellow colour-exactly what Captain Musgrave (I. c.) describes the females to be, and what we see in the specimens of Otaria hookeri in the British Museum. The examination of these skulls and skins furnishes additional proof that the Aucklands are the habitat of Otaria hookeri. It is curious that no male specimen should have been brought back, except the one that M . Dumoutier reserved for himself. It is just possible that some more specimens may shortly be discovered, as a number of cases, brought home by him and which have never been opened, have been lately acquired by the Museum. The following extract, pointed out to m e by M . Alphonse Milne- Edwards, gives additional proof of the existence of two species of Otaria on the Aucklands :- "In the year 1823 Captain Robert Johnson, in the schooner ' Henry,' of New York, took from this island and the surrounding islets about 13,000 of as good Fur-Seal-skins as ever were brought to the New-York market. From this voyage he never returned . . . Although the Auckland Islands once abounded with numerous herds of Fur- and Hair-Seals, the American and French seamen engaged in this business have made such clean work of it as scarcely to leave a breed; at all events there was not one Fur-Seal to be found on the 4th of January, 1830"*. The absence of Seals in January might easily be accounted for by their annual migration ; but it is remarkable that the herds of Seals should have become so numerous again in twenty years as would appear from Captain Musgrave's description. I may mention that I was shown a skeleton of Otaria jubata, marked as from the Aucklands. If this should be the case, which I do not believe on the evidence presented to me, it would greatly extend the range of that species; but it is very unlikely that there should be two Hair-Seals as well as a Fur-Seal on the islands. In conclusion I ought to mention that the first suggestion of the skull I have described being that of the male of O. hookeri was made by Mr. Gerrard of the British Museum. * A Narrative of four Voyages to the South Sea, &c. &c., from the year 1822-1831. By Captain Benjamin Morrell, Jun. 8vo. New York, 1832. |