Bulletin of Museum of Comparative Zoology 02

BULLETIN MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY HARVARD COLLEGE, VOL IN CAMBRIDGE II Nos 1-5 CAMBRIDGE, MAS?., U S A 1870-1871 Reprinted with the permission of the original publisher KRAUS REPRINT CORPORATION New York 1967 Printed in U.S.A CONTENTS Pace — On Eared Seals (Otariadae), with detailed Descriptions of the Pacific Species By J A Allen Together with an Account of Habits of the Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus ursinus) By Charles No North the Bryant I the (3 Plates) Introduction Re'sume of recent Contributions On to the I Natural History of the Otariadae the Affinities, distinctive Characters, and Family Otariadffi, with Remarks on Synonymy of the sexual, age, and individual Variation, and a Conspectus of the Genera and Species, Habits On the Genera and Species Geographical Distribution On II On the North Pacific Species of Otariadse the Habits of the Northern Fur Charles Bryant in the Assist Part — On the Brachyura, prepared by Dr I Mammals and Winter amination of certain assumed Introduction I III The Mammals U Coast S William Stimpson Characters its 109 Birds of Fast Florida, with an Ex- By J A Allen (5 Plates) 161 161 , of East Florida, with Annotations Individual and Geographical Variation in Respect to 89 Gulf Stream topographical, climatic, and faunal Characteristics of East Florida List of the On 45 Characters in Birds, and a Sketch of specific North America the Bird Faunce of Eastern II de Pourtai.es, L F 37 42 By Captain Allen By Survey No "With Notes by J A — Preliminary Report on the Crustacea, dredged in the Straits of Florida 19 36 Seal (Callorhinus ursinus Gray), with a Description of the Pribyloff Group of Islands No etc among 163 16S Birds, considered bearing upon the Value of certain assumed specific 186 CONTENTS IV [ndividnal Variation Individual Variation in general Size and in 187 the relative Size of different Parts 197 Variations in the Size and sulting from Form of the Bill, Wing, etc re- Age 226 General Remarks on Individual Variation 228 Climatic Variation Species, Varieties, IV V 229 and Geographical Races On the Geographical America, with special Reference of the Ornithological Faunae Introductory The Natural Provinces Numbcrand to the Distribution of the Birds of Eastern Remarks The to the of Faunre of the Eastern North American Temperate Region The Faunas 375 375 North American Temperate Ornithological 343 Circumscription of the 250 North Ecu ion 243 Winter Birds of East Florida, with Annotations The Origin of the Domestic Turkey List of the 384 Province of the 3S7 the Eastern province considered in Reference Distribution of The Ornithological On Mammals and Districts of the Reptiles 404 North American Temperate Region 406 the Ornithological Range of the Species 407 General Remarks on the Distribution and Migration of the Birds of the Eastern Province Appendix No — Directions Assist No ET S for to Part V Dredging Coast Survey — Appendix to List of Authorities de Pourtales L F 418 426 Drawn up by the Preliminary Report the Echini collected by L F de Pourtales, (Bulletin No 9, Vol I) 451 on By Alexander Agassiz 455 No — On Eared Seals (Otariad.e), with the detailed Descrip- North Pacific Species, by J A Allen tions of the with an Account of the Habits of the Northern Fur Together Seal (Cal- lorhinus ursinus), by Charles Bryant I Introduction The specimens on which the present essay by Captain Charles Bryant, collected mainly based were is at St Paul's Island, one of the Pribyloff Group, situated near the coast of Alaska, and by him kindly presented to the Stelleri Peters, tons Museum They of Comparative Zoology consist of two and two complete ligamentary skeletons of the Eumetopias perfect skins and two and six perfect complete ligamentary skins, four partial skeletons of Callorhinus ursinus were sent preserved in salt, and arrived Gray in skins and skeletons ; skins The excellent condition in specimens of Callorhinus ursinus represent both sexes of and the young, both ski de- The this species while the notes kindly fur- nished by Captain Bryant give a minute account of its A habits summer's residence at the Pribyloff Islands, as government supervisor of the seal fisheries, has given Captain Bryant an opportunity of be- coming thoroughly familiar with the habits of these interesting animals, and the description lie has given of them shows that he His notes, given in use of his opportunites the present paper Bryant, I Academy phus am full, made a good form part second of In addition to the specimens collected by Captain indebted to the Smithsonian Institution and the Chicago of Sciences for the opportunity of examining skulls of Zalo- Gillespii and Otaria jubata make acknowledgments to have also I in this connection to Dr Theodore Gill of Washington for various suggestions and other acts of kindness The only previous account of great importance ter ago, that given by tiie Northern fur seal which Steller, nearly a lias any century and a quar- and the observations of Krasheninikoff, published a few years later in his ever, is History of Kamtcliatka Krasheninikoff's account, how- was doubtless wholly or mainly derived from Steller's note- The remarkable accuracy of Steller's account, considering the time when VOL II it ; BULLETIN OF THE Z was written, been the is Tbe observations than that of any of of our hest ever, so seals — who lias its as now far more A which to interest, for fully known remarkable similarity of habits, howpervade the whole group of eared many in respects extends also to the wal- As rus and tbe sea elephant (Mixcrorhinus elephantinus) collateral Steller's congeners, and better in fact than the majority known, seems a similarity is have to bad an opportunity of verifying history of this species known mammals far who seems confirmed by Captain Bryant, fully naturalist first matter of comparison with the account given by Captain Bryant of the species so fully described by him, the principal notices of the habits of the other species of the family have been cited as foot- notes to Captain Bryant's article, and occasional abstracts are given of those most pertinent to the subject Through the important labors of Messrs Gray, Gill, and Peters our knowledge of the Otariadce has recently been greatly increased yet not a single species of the family has been hitherto very satisfac- known torily in 1866 Regarding the able essays of these gentlemen published years since, their somewhat discrepant opinions five number of known species, their distinctive characters, sufficiently indicate affinities A knowledge of these animals as representing the state of our how respecting the and their mutual imperfectly they were then known comparatively large number of specimens of the Olaria jubata has since been received at different facts obtained from persons species in the present writing, number of the best known museums, which, with the recently been able to observe natural haunts, have this its scientific who have served to render of any of the it, up family to The specimens formerly possessed by naturalists having been very small, and the sex, age, and habitat of the individuals they represented being generally but vaguely known, the unusually great differ- ences resulting from individual variation, as well as from sex and age, which recent developments prove for a long time unsuspected, and are even now, appreciated by the few naturalists attention Hence to exist in who there has arisen in these animals, remained it would seem, not fully alone have given them special many cases an almost unparalleled complication of synonomy and an unusually large number of nominal than fifteen distinct species.* * The synonomy of Olaria jubata, for example, embraces no speeiii • hi: less MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY The and skeletons above mentioned of two of skins collection of the North Pacific species which has recently been received at the Museum Comparative Zoology throws much of these species but also upon several of the light not only The others upon investigation has led the writer to an examination of the whole of this material group, the results of which are herewith presented made known Dr J E Gray and others have recently the fact that great differences in the form of the skull in Otaria jitbata result from differences in age existence of remarkably great Also the difference in size has been long established sexual whilst Professor Peters, ; of Berlin, has recently pointed out extraordinary variations in the dentition of Zalophus that greater known are to in the osteological char- be expected in all the species adult male skulls of the Eumctopias SteUeri, for instance, dif- known and tionable, of Callorhinus ursinm of Comparative Zoology show and more radical differences even fer from each other so cisely Museum the in acters than those previously The two The specimens Gillespil and Eumctopias SteUeri much form in was not pre- that, if their habitat the evidence of their co-specific relationship unques- one might well be excused for regarding them as belonging distinct species ; and the same lorhinus ursinus is true of the These specimens also two adult male show that some of to skulls of Cal- the characters that have been relied on most frequently as affording generic distinction?, — as the form of the palatal surface of the intermaxillaries and of the hinder edge of the palatal bones, — vary so much, not only with age, but in specimens of the same age, that no given form of these parts The can be regarded as affording even reliable specific characters degree of asymmetry, especially sufficient to indicate clearly that vidual variation in these animals in an unusually great tendency is great the skull, seen in these animals to is to indi- Professor be naturally expected Peters has already referred to the presence of a supernumerary molar in one side of the upper jaw Museum, and another in two skulls of cared instance of the seals in the same abnormality Leyden exhibited by is one of the skulls of CaUorhinus ursinus previously referred Taken to in connection with this tendency to variation, the interesting fact that the number of synonymes pertaining exact ratio to the examination is readily explained and species embraced developments to the several number of specimens in The species that naturalists is in almost have had for incidental revision of the genera the present paper is based on these recent BULLETIN OF THE The greatest years last live number of is fifteen species recognized but they have ; by any writer during the now been reduced, by general These have been placed by Dr Gray, consent, to ten or eleven in his In the present enumeration six species * later papers, in ten genera are regarded as fully established, and two or three other species f are All are referred to five genera given as doubtful One animals least \ of the most singular facts connected with the history of these that they should is known when to naturalists, that their capture has given commercial importance their employment to is such men and thousauds of mil- more than a century lions of capital for For many have so long remained among the species years, as well known, hundreds of thousands of the is skins of the Falkland Island fur seal, and hundreds of tons of the oil of other species, annually reached England ; yet specimens of either the fur seals, or of any of the other species that naturalists were able to obtain, that, in lated cases, the localities to this the fact whence these fragmentary and iso- specimens were received were frequently wholly unknown or but vaguely surmised, and only Add were exceedingly few and imperfect many till can well understand how we it happened that within the last decade have naturalists been able to decide with certainty as to which of the species on their catalogues were to be refer- red the various fur seals of commerce Resume of Recent I Contribute 'ons to the Natural History of the Otariad^e A brief statement of the present state of our riadce seems to be demanded knowledge of the Ota- in the present connection, inasmuch as since the publication of the last general synopsis of the subject our knowledge of the group has greatly increased, without the new having been given in a single summary As facts a resume of the contri- butions to the literature concerning this group of animals which have appeared during the last two decades would necessarily give such a statement, and also at the same time a connected history of the recent changes in * Eumeiopias their nomenclature and Stelleri, CM » himis ursii}us, Zahphus classification, GiUespii, Z cinereus (= a synopsis of the lobaluo, Auct.), Anii-< ephalus falklandicus t Phvcarctos Hookeri, Arctocephalm au&tralis, A, antarcticus I Eumetopias, Zahphus, Otaria, Cnllorhinvs, Arctocejihalus Otctria jubata, MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY principal recent papers relating to the subject For troduced the works cited is accordingly here in- references to earlier papers the reader in Museum Dr J E Gray's British W Seals and Professor is referred to Catalogues of the Peters's elaborate essay on these animals pub- lished in the Monatsberichte of the Berlin Academy for 18GG present notice of the literature of the Otariadce begins with The Dr Gray's " Catalogue of the lished in '1850, in Seals the British in Museum," pub- which valuable work two genera (Arctocephalus and The next paper requiring McBain.f describing, in 1858, a new species Otaria) and eight species* are recognized mention is that of Dr A {Otaria Gillespii) from a skull from the Gulf of California months Gray published some important notes Dr later fe^ relative to the Northern sea bear (Arctocephalus ursinus Auct.).:j: based on a skin and skull British name of an adult male from Behring's Straits, received at the Museum by way of Amsterdam and This paper of Otaria leonina which seems profile figure of the skull, is Petersburg, under the St accompanied by an excellent to be the only figure of the skull of this species that has been hitherto published Two weeks later Dr Gray communicated to the Zoological Society another paper on the Eared Seals, § in which the fur seal of the Cape Good Hope was of described anew from a specimen received by him from Paris, and of which he published a view He appends to this which he divides drawn from the it into three A nigrescens, A ure unnamed skull in sections, based on characters : — ursinus; TT lobatus, A Hookcri A Gillespii." He ; HI A Delalandii, also gives a profile of a ca^t of the skull described by Dr || profile of the Short diagnoses are also given of the species, skull which he groups as follows "I Arctocephalus in paper a synopsis of the genus Arctocephalus, McBain fig- as Otaria Gil- lespii Some months * Then 107-110, II cinereus, A lobatus, A austra- I, p 422 the Sea Bear of Forster, the Uisus marinu* of Steller, Arctocephalus ursinus of authors," Proe § A leonina London Zoid Soc., 1859, the Eared Seal of the PI lxix Ibid., PI lxx pp 101, 100, PI Ixviii Cape of Good Hope ( Otaria Delalandii)," Ibid , pp BULLETIN OF THE on the Sea Lion? of the Coast of California,* with a profile figure of an new adult male skull of what he supposed to he a which proved lus monteriensis), hut Stefan of authors, as first to The latter, same to the however, is classification of the eared seals, in species, as skull was also undoubtedly identical with In the Northern fur seal (CaUorhinus ursiuus) new Another young suggested hy Dr Gill was described and doubtfully referred the skin of a fur seal species {Arctocepha- he identical with the Otaria paper he gives a this which he properly raised the first of the sections of his genus Arctocephalus, which he had previously in- The second and third sections he seems to have reunited, for which he retained the name of His genus Arctocephalus, as now restricted, he again Arctocephalus A valuable table of comparative divided into four unnamed sections stituted, to the rank of a genus {Callorhinus) measurements of the skulls of eight species Seven years from the date last is appended given (1859) carries us to the ap- pearance of Dr Gray's " Catalogue of the Seals and Whales," f pub18GG, during which interval lished in the species of his "Catalogue synonymy is little or nothing of importance relating to the group in question was published brought up to of Seals" of date, In this Catalogue all 1850 are retained; the and the species he and others had These are described since the appearance of that Catalogue are added Arctocephalus Californianus Arcfo(= Peters), and the Eumetopias Stelleri (= ursiuus, in part or Gray (= CaUorkinus wholly), making the whole number of the Otaria GlUespii McBain cepkalus monteriensis Gray Zalophus Gillespii Gill, the species thirteen Only one of the three species supposed to he new, however, proved to be The nomenclature specific is so not changed from that adopted in his previous paper, so far as the species mentioned in that paper are concerned, and the introduction of one generic name from the generic nomenclature employed by him new 1850 classification of the species of the genus Arctocephalus which the species are grouped sections, bony the only change is in upon palate the* in is Another given, in two primary sections and seven sub- arbitrary basis of the differences in the form of the No new material is described, and lint little new matter added, the Catalogue being essentially a compilation from his previously * " On the Sea Lions, or Lobos Marinos of the Spaniards, n the Coast of California," Ibid., p 557 f " Catalogue of the Seals and Whales in the British Museum," 1866, pp 44 -CO Plate V Fig " " - Mgioihw la linaria, specimen No 10859, £, from Newton, Mass from Newton, Mass