88 The Irish Nahtralist. [April, 



FAMILY DELPHINIDi^E. 



Porpoise— Phocoena communis, Less. 



(Plate 4, fig. 7). 



The Porpoise is one of the members of the second family — the 

 Delphiiiidic — which are distinguished from the Physeten'dis by the 

 possession as a rule of numerous teeth in both jaws. The skull is 

 generally not so elevated behind the nasal aperture in the former 

 family as in the latter. The Porpoise is black above and white beneath, 

 and has a length of from four to five feet. The back fin is triangular, 

 and the teeth are small and numerous. 



This small cetacean is common all round the Irish coast. A coloured 

 cast of a full-grown one and also a skeleton are in the Dublin Museum. 



Kii,i,ER— Orca gladiator, Lacep. 

 (Plate 4, fig. 9). 



The Killer is a much larger species than the Porpoise, growing to 

 a length of 20 feet or more. The colour is much like that of the 

 Porpoise, but the Killer has a white spot over each eye, which is absent 

 in the other. The skull is more massive and flattened above, and 

 there are a number of stout, conical teeth in each jaw. The flippers are 

 large, and the back-fin tall and pointed. It is easily recognised by the 

 latter when swimming near the surface of the sea. 



Thompson (XX., p. 43) mentions the occurrence of this whale off the 

 north coast of Ireland^ and states that a skull from Donaghadee is in 

 the Belfast Museum. In the Dublin Museum there is a skull from 

 Killala Bay, Co. Sligo, given by Captain Dover, in 1871. 



Ca'in Whai,e or " Bi,ack-fish"— Clobicephalus me I as, Trail. 



(Plate 4, fig. 8,) 



The name " Black-fish " which is erroneously given by man}- fishermen 

 to this whale, indicates at least the prevailing colour. It is black all 

 over, except a white patch on the breast. The shape of the head is 

 something like that of the Bottle-nosed Whale, but there is scarcely any 

 nose on this. A thick accumulation of blubber in front of the skull 

 causes a treniendous bulging out of the forehead. The absence of teeth 

 in the skull figured is due to old age. In younger specimens there are 

 a considerable number of small conical teeth in the anterior half of 

 both jaws. The back fin is short, the flippers elongated. The name 

 "Grampus" seems to be indiscriminately applied to the last species 

 and to this, but there is no evidence as yet that the real Grampus 

 {Grampjts ^risens) has ocQ.urrQ(\\i\ Irish waters. The Ca'in Whale is said 

 to reach a length of 20 feet. 



