652 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.45. 



Stomach divided into three chambers; first chamber large and empty; second and 

 third chambers smaller and filled with whitish fluid. The nature of the food could 

 not be determined. Length of intestines, 68 feet; no caecum present. 



Kidneys made up of many small lobules, each of which resembles a miniature 

 mammalian kidney, showing distinct pelvis, calyces, and renal pyramids. These 

 lobules are loosely aggregated and held together by connective tissue. Left kidney: 

 Length, 15.5 inches; width, 7.5 inches; thickness, 1 to 1.75 inches. 



I believe this form is not uncommon here. Large cetaceans which answer its 

 description are not infrequently seen swimming about the laboratory, three being 

 sighted at one time. In swimming, the dorsal fin is seen above the water, and at 

 times it resorts to the bounding motion not unlike the porpoise. 



Mr. Russel J. Coles reported harpooning a large porpoise early in July. He cut out 

 a small piece of flesh to try its edible qualities and let it go adrift. Later, when decay 

 has gone far enough to permit, an attempt will be made to secure at least a part of the 

 skeleton. 



Local name: Cowfish. 



The head and other parts were received at the Museum during my 

 absence from Washington. Upon my return, with the aid of Messrs. 

 J. W. Scollick and A. B. Thorne, measurements were made of the 

 head, and afterwards some photographs (Plate 53) and a mold were 

 prepared. The skull and the bones of the tail were then extracted 

 and cleaned. The following measurements were made of the head: 



Inches. mm. 



Tip of upper jaw to angle of mouth 14. 5 368 



Tip of upper Jaw to center of eye 24. 5 622 



Tip of upper jaw to left angle of blowhole 23. 584 



Tip of upper jaw to center of anterior border of blowhole 24. 25 616 



Breadth of blowhole 4. 25 108 



Length of beak 7. 5 191 



Breadth of beak at the base 4. 102 



Length of throat furrows 7. 75 197 



Distance between furrows anteriorly 0. 75 19 



Distance between furrows posteriorly 4. 75 121 



Length of eye 1. 38 35 



Girth at eye 48. 5 1, 232 



Breadth of flukes ". 44. 1, 118 



Depth of caudal peduncle at junction with flukes 10. 75 273 



The lower jaw was only a very little shorter than the upper, and its 

 superior border was concave. There was no appearance of teeth in 

 either upper or lower jaw, and it was not until the integuments were 

 removed that two small teeth were discovered, lying close to the 

 extremity of the mandible. These teeth are small, conical, and acute, 

 and are strongly inclined forward and a little outward. The presence 

 of teeth in this position at once suggested that the species was either 

 an undescribed one, or else M. hectori Flower, of New Zealand. An 

 examination of the skull showed, however, that the proportions and 

 general conformation were quite unlike those of hectori. On the other 

 hand, it presented a very close resemblance to M. europseus in many 

 particulars. It might be supposed that the peculiar position of the 



