ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL ASSOCIATION. 



fast and Holywood. I had the opportunity of seeing it on the ensuing 

 day; and afterwards, by the kind co-operation of Mr. Richard Allen, 

 Assistant Engineer to the Harbour Commissioners, ascertained its di- 

 mensions. 



Mr. Thompson has recorded ("Natural History of Ireland," vol. iv.) 

 the occurrence of this species of whale in the same Bay on two former 

 occasions. The first was taken at Ballyholme, near the entrance to Bel- 

 fast Bay, on the 16th September, 1839; the second at Cultra, on the 

 29th October, 1845. That taken on the 22nd September, 1857, was the 

 third in the space of eight years. All three were killed on the county of 

 Down shore of the Bay, and at nearly the same season of the year. 

 „ The measurements of the Cultra specimen of 1845 are republished 

 here, that they may be compared with those of the more recent capture. 

 The former was a male ; the latter, a female. The dimensions are very 

 similar. The stomachs of both contained the beaks of cuttle-fishes. 

 Four teeth were found in the Cultra specimen, the skull of which is pre- 

 served in the Belfast Museum; two only were detected by Professor 

 Dickie in that of the other. The weight of the Hyperoodon of 1857 was 

 2 J tons; the quantity of oil produced was 90 gallons. 



Measurements of the Hyperoodon taken in 1857 and of that in 1845. 



1857. 

 Ft. In. 

 5 

 6 



20 

 23 

 4 

 U 

 3 

 

 



Length, measured in a straight line from snout to tail, . 20 



Ditto, mensured along the dorsal curve, 22 



Greatest height, 4 3 



Ditto, girth, 11 



Breadth of head, on a line from eye to eye, 2 9 



Length of rostrum, 12 



Depth of jaw at point, 31 



Length from point of snout to eye 3 6 



Blow-hole fr^m point of snout following dorsal curve, ..32 3 



Ditto, in length (crescentic form), 6 



Pectoral fins, from base of snout, 55 5 



Ditto, space between them, 1 H * 



Ditto, in length, from base at upper side to point, .21 2 



Ditto, in breadth, greatest, 8£ 



Dorsal fin distant from caudal fin, estimated from a straight 



line drawn from snout to tail 7 1 



Dorsal fin, length at base, 16 1 



Ditto, length from base to point (points backwards), .10 1 



Caudal fin, greatest length, 19 1 



Ditto, ditto, breadth, 5 10 5 



Ditto, ditto, thickness, 41 



Aperture anterior to vent in length, 1 5J 1 



Ditto, ditto, of vent in length, 6 



It may be proper to remark, that these measurements should be re- 



1845. 

 Ft. In. 



4 

 4 

 6 

 6 

 

 11 

 4 

 1 

 9 

 6 

 

 7 

 2 

 7 





 7 

 

 11 

 6 

 I 

 



a 



