LAGENOKHYNCIIUS 0BLIQUIDEN8. 99 



Lagenorliynchns Lorujidcns Cope. 



This species is known only from the single skull (No. .3880) briefly 

 but accurately described by Professor Cope in 1800, under the name of 

 Delphinus longidens. There is but one point in this descrii)tion which 

 I would criticise. Professor Cope writes as follows: 



Ddp'niims longidens. Of tlio type of D. (Tiu-sio) oiscurus Gray, but with a cousid- 

 enibly longer muzzle aad mucli louger preuareal triangle, etc. 



Measurements of the two type-skulls, according to the system which 

 I have adopted, show that the total length and length of rostrum are 

 absolutely the same in each, viz, total length 14.5 inches ; length of 

 rostrum, 7.9 inches. 

 In commenting upon his description Professor Cope justly remarks : 

 From the above [measureiiieut] it will be seeuthat the nearest ally of tbis species 

 is the DcJpliinun (Lagtnorliyuchus) clanculus Gray, iu whicb the muzzle is considerably 

 shorter and the cranium relatively longer and wider — that is, length of cranium 

 proper equal iu the latter to the length of the muzzle, aud breadth at orbit a little 

 greater than either. Its form renders a distinction between Lagcnorlii/ncltun and Del- 

 2Jhhii(8^ improbable on present bases. t 



Mr. Dall regards this latter view untenable iu the light of Dr. 

 Gray's revision of 1871, and places the species in the genus Clymenia 

 [zzzProdeJphinuH Gervais). 



The skull upon which this species is based was received with the 

 spoils of the United States Exploring Expedition, but the locality was 

 unfortunately not given. The records show nothing except that the 

 skull was packed with other objects in a box marked ''B. 20 — Z. (L.)" 

 There is a second mandible iu the collection (No. 4117), which bears the 

 same marks, and undoubtedly belongs to the same species, but of this 

 also the locality is unrecorded. After following out all the clews sug- 

 gested by the original records, and the statements iu both editions of 

 the Mammalogy of the United States Exploring Expedition, I am forced 

 to believe that it will never be possible to ascertain the history of these 

 specimens, or to make sure that they did not form the basis of some of 

 the species erected by Peale. 



The type-skull is considerably broken, the pterygoid, malar, and tym- 

 panic bones being absent. Professor Cope states that the pterygoid 

 bones were not iu contact. After repeatedly examining this skull, I 

 have become convinced that it is simply a small and youngish example 

 of L. ohliquidem. It presents no characters which can not be found in 

 skulls of the latter species. 



Clymenia Similis Gray. 



The skull on which this species is founded can not be distinguished 

 from skulls of L. ohliquldens. It is nearly of the same size as the 

 largest of our skulls of the latter species. The pterygoid bones are 

 divergent posterior ly and the palatine table is constricted. 



'Prodelphinuft, as now understood. — F. W. T. t Cope, 1. c, p. 296. 



