BEAKED WHALES, FAMILY ZIPHIID^ TRUE. 11 



cervical nerves. The fourth cervical is fused to the third by the dorsal spine on the left side and by the 

 tip of the upper lateral process of the same side. Its centrum, right half of the dorsal spine (the spine 

 is divided medially), and the remaining lateral processes are free. * * * The epiphyses of the fourth 

 and fifth cervical vertebra; and the anterior epiphysis of the sixth cervical are fused to their respective 

 centra, but all the other epiphyses of the vertebral column and of the pectoral limbs are free. 



The Annisquam skeleton has nine dorsal vertebra with their corresponding pairs of ribs. * * * 

 The sternum of this specimen presents few points of interest. It consists of four pieces, the anterior- 

 most of which is largest, slightly hollowed above, and correspondingly convex below. The three 

 remaining pieces are nearly flat, with a deep median notch at the anterior and posterior border of each. 

 The posterior piece evidently represents a fusion of the elements of two segments, as there are articular 

 surfaces for two pairs of ribs. 



From the foregoing, it appears that the iViinisqiiam specimen probably had one 

 or two vertebrae less than bidens or europseus, and that the sternum was somewhat 

 differently shaped. The tooth, which is figured by Doctor Allen, is conical, com- 

 pressed, 54 mm. long, 30 broad at the base, and resembles teeth of immature bidens. 



Although with such scant material it is not possible to determine ^tisfactorily 

 the identity of this third species of Mesoflodon in the North Atlantic, repre.sented 

 by the Annisquam specimen, I feel convinced that that specimen does not belong 

 to M. bidens and that there is a strong probability that it belongs to M. densirostris. 

 It is true that the latter species has been found hitherto only in the Indian Ocean 

 and about Australia, but we know so little about the distribution of the ziphioid 

 whales that, in my opinion, that circumstance by itself should not be given very 

 great weight. 



MESOFLODON EUROP/EUS (Gervais). 



Dioplodon europseus Gervais, Zool. et Pal. franc., 1st ed., vol. 2, 1848-1852, p. 4; 2d ed., 1858, 



p. 289, pi. 40, figs. 3-6. 

 Dioplodon gervaisi Deslongchamps, Bull. Soc. Linn. Normandie, vol. 10, 1866, p. 177. 

 Neoziphius europseus Gray, Suppl. Cat. Seals and '^Tiales Brit. Mus., 1871, p. 101. 



This species was based on a single specimen found floating in the English 

 Channel about seventy years ago. An account of the circumstances under which 

 it was found was given by Eugene Deslongchamps in 1866, as follows: 



The head, which forms the subject of this last note, was given to my father .some twenty-five or 

 thirty years ago by Mr. Abel \'autier, a merchant and armorer of our town, who died at Paris two yeara 

 since. 



The captain of one of Mr. Vautier's ships, on his return from a voyage to the colonies, saw floating 

 on the water, at the entrance to the English Channel, the body of a large animal entirely covered by birds 

 (large and small gulls, etc.), which were devouring it. The ship approached the stray, and the captain, 

 knowing that Mr. Abel Vautier was greatly interested in natural objects, had the head of the cetacean cut 

 off, fastened it securely with a cord, and let it trail behind the ship. Wlien he arrived at Caen he made 

 a present of it to Mr. Vautier. The piece had at that time an appearance anything but agreeable. Mr. 

 "Vautier was especially fond of beautiful objects which please the eye, and hence he offered it to my 

 father, saying, "You, who are an anatomist, can make better use of this than I can." My father was 

 unwilling to refuse the present, but neither he nor Mr. Vautier knew as yet of its extreme rarity. It is 

 in fact, up to the present time, the only specimen which exists, and is a unique object in collections. o 



a Bull. Soc. Linn. Normandie, vol. 10, 1866, p. 177. 

 24765— Bull. 73—10 2 



