194 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



Turner's article on the Lesser Rorqual (18) struck me, and on 

 sending a photo, of them to Mr. Oldfield Thomas, of the British 

 Museum, lie stated that they seemed to belong to this species. 

 This is the first and only record of it in Clyde waters (21), but it 

 has occurred in Islay (3). 



Family : Physeteridce. 



6. Hyperoodon rostratus, Midler. Bottlenose. — This species 

 is frequently reported, and is apparently not uncommon. Mr. 

 Gray sees it every season off the Cumbrae shores. The old 

 "Statistical Account" (1792), under Row, says: — "A species of 

 whale, called Bottlenoses, have sometimes run aground during 

 the ebb of tide, been taken, and oil extracted from them." In 

 recent years I have the following definite records of its capture : 

 — In 1863 one was taken in the Gareloch, and its cranium shown 

 to this Society by Dr. Scouler (15) ; in October, 1883, a young male 

 was stranded at Loch Ranza — the skull and some other bones are 

 in the Anatomical Museum, Edinburgh University (19) ; in July, 

 1896, a small male was captured at Kingston Yard, Port-Glas- 

 gow (9); in January, 1898, one came ashore at Peaton, Loch 

 Long — I found the carcase entombed in a lime-heap when I 

 went to see it; and in September, 1899, I was more fortunate in 

 seeing one which had stranded on the beach at the North Shore, 

 Ayr (21). Without placing any weight on reports of this species 

 having been merely seen, the foregoing is evidence that such 

 reports may not be inaccurate. 



Family : Delphinidce. 



7. Phoccena communis, Less. Common Porpoise. — This is our 

 commonest Cetacean, and may be seen at all seasons of the year. 

 One hundred years ago it came as far up the Clyde as the 

 Broomielaw (14), and it still may be seen off Greenock. The 

 mouths of Loch Long and the Holy Loch are favourite haunts, 

 and I have notes of it from many places in our waters. Last 

 month a small school of about half-a-dozen was playing at the 

 head of Loch Long, and several times I saw leaps taken clean out 

 of the water in the manner of the " Bucker " (Dolphin). When a 

 school is playing, the individuals seem often actually to rub along, 

 side touching side; thus, from some points of view, two dorsal 



