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ON TWO DOLPHINS FROM MADRAS. 

 By R. Lydekker. 

 ( With Plates C and D. ) 

 {Read before the Bombay Natural History Society on 5th November 1903.) 

 Students of the Indian Cetacea are once more indebted to Mr. 

 Harold Ferguson, Director of the Travancore Museum, for adding to 

 our knowledge of the smaller representatives of that group. At the end 

 of May last I received from that gentleman sketches of a couple of 

 dolphins, of different species, which had been stranded during the 

 previous March on the Trevandrum beach, with a notification that the 

 disarticulated skeletons would follow in due course. Soon after the 

 arrival of the latter in June, I set about determining the specimens, 

 and have arrived at the conclusion that the larger represents a species 

 of Tursiops not hitherto definitely known from Indian waters, while the 

 smaller indicates a Sotalia nearly allied to S. lentiginosa, but yet 

 apparently distinct. I am glad to say that in both instances these 

 identifications, so far as the genus is concerned, agree with provisional 

 determinations made on the spot by Mr. Ferguson. The real interest 

 and importance of the specimens is, however, due to the fact that the 

 entire skeletons have been preserved. In the case of the smaller specimen 

 this has enabled me to determine, with much greater precision than was 

 previously possible, the real generic position of several nearly related 

 Indian forms. I may add that if other naturalists resident on the coasts 

 of the peninsula were as energetic and painstaking as Mr. Ferguson 

 in collecting specimens, when opportunities occur, our knowledge of 

 the smaller Cetacea of India would soon be in a much more satisfactory 

 condition than is at present the case. With these preliminary observa- 

 tions I proceed to the consideration of the specimens : — 



THE AUSTRALIAN BOTTLE-NOSE ( TURSIOPS 



CATALANIA). 



Plate C. 



This species was described by Dr. Gray on the evidence of two skulls 



brought from the north-west coast of Australia by Mr. J. Macgillivray, 



who made notes on the external form and colouring of the animals to which 



they belonged. The following is an abbreviation of Gray's description : — 



' Upper surfaces lead-colour passing gradually on the sides into the 



jvhite of the lower surfaces ; sides, lower surfaces and pectoral fins 



