On the Occurrence of Hyperoodon bidens. 347 



XXXII. — On the Occurrence of the Bottle-headed IVhale, Hy- 

 peroodon bidens, Flem., and Remarks thereon. By William 

 Thompson, Esq. 



I HAVE lately had an opportunity of carefully examining two 

 specimens of the Bottle-headed Whale, an old female and a young 

 female, and now forward you a copy of my notes made on the 

 spot. The only work on the British Cetacea to which I have 

 access is that by Professor Bell on the British Mammalia, which 

 includes the Cetacea. In that work I find that the occurrence 

 of the Bottle-head on the English coast is very rare, and Bri- 

 tish naturalists are enjoiued to be very careful in examining any 

 specimens they may have the good fortune to meet with. The 

 pleasant task has fallen to my lot, and I trust the trouble I have 

 taken and the accuracy of my measurements will leave nothing 

 to be wished for on this point. I first carefully measured the 

 larger of the two, and the following results I confidently ofi*er 

 to the notice of naturalists. The whole of the measurements 

 were taken with a tape, and also a two-foot rule. In all cases, 

 unless otherwise particularly mentioned, the measurements were 

 taken from point to point; for instance, in computing the 

 distance from the snout to the blowhole, the tape was drawn 

 from one point to the other, and was not laid along the facial 

 angle. With these remarks I lay before you the measurements. 



ft. in. 

 Extreme length from the end of the snout to the fork of the 



caudal 24 



Length of the tips of the caudal beyond the fork 8 



(Thus making the length 24 ft. 8 inches.) 



Length from the end of the snout to the eye 3 10 



Length from the end of the snout to the pectoral 6 2 



Length from the end of the snout to the dorsal 14 6 



Length from the end of the snout and following the line of the 



belly to the vulva 16 4 



Length from caudal to the back edge of the dorsal 7 5 



Length from caudal to the vulva 7 6 



Length of upper mandible from the tip of the snout to the 



angle of the mouth 2 4 



Length of under mandible fi-om the tip of the snout to the 



angle of the mouth 2 6 



Length of blowhole from tip to tip 6 



Distance of blowhole from the tip of the snout 4 10 



Extent of caudal from tip to tip 6 



I iCngth of dorsal at its base 1 11 



Height of dorsal along its front edge 1 11 



Height of dorsal at its back edge 1 2 



Length of pectoral, including the portion that is not free 2 10 



Breadth of pectoral in its widest part 10 



(The widest part is 1 ft. 4 in. from the tip of the fin.) 



Length of vulva 2 



