PHOOENA. 



49 



FIG. XVII. PHOC/CNA PHOC/ENA. PORPOISE. 



COMMON PORPOISE. 



Type locality. Coast of Europe. 



Geogr. Distr. North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans. 



Genl. Char. Slender; dorsal fin anterior to middle of the length, 

 triangular, posterior margin concave, anterior about straight with 

 sometimes a row of tubercles; jaws of equal length. 



Color. Upper parts slate or blackish, grading on sides into the 

 white of lower parts; sides sometimes tinged with yellow or pink; 

 narrow dark line from corner of mouth to anterior base of pectoral, 

 and a broad, dark band often extends from lower jaw half-way to the 

 pectoral. 



Measurements. Total length, 1727; length of mouth, 121; end 

 of snout to dorsal, 737; length of pectoral, 178; height of dorsal, 102; 

 width of flukes, 317. Skull: total length, 293; length of rostrum, 

 137; width of beak at base, 85; at middle, 55; interorbital breadth, 

 137; length of temporal fossa, 6. 



The "Killers" are distinguished for their great ferocity and 

 strength, and are the wolves of the sea. They prey upon fish, and 

 also warm-blooded animals, such as seals, and destroy a great number 

 of the pups, and the half-grown young of other species. Banding 

 themselves together in packs they do not hesitate to attack the 

 Whalebone Whale, and several of them by hanging on to the lower 

 lip, compel the huge animal, exhausted by its struggles, to open its 

 mouth and permit the Killer to enter, when the great fleshy tongue 

 is speedily devoured, and the unfortunate creature left to die a linger- 

 ing death. Individuals of their own order are pursued and slain by 



