178 The Mammalia of Essex : a Contribution towards a 



Odontoceti. Physeterid^. 



Physeter macrocephalus. Sperm Whale. — This troi^ical 

 whale has occasionally wandered to the shores of this island ; 

 and it is recorded that in 1788 six were found dead on the 

 Kentish coast, and a live one ran ashore in the Thames at 

 the same time. Dale also mentions one caught in the 

 Thames, and hrought ashore at Blackwall. 



Hyperoodon rostratus. Common Beaked Whale. — This is 

 the best known s^Decies of the family of ziphioid whales, 

 which are distinguished by possessing one or two pairs of 

 teeth, situated in the lower jaw only. It appears to come 

 into British waters regularly in the autumn, and specimens 

 are killed almost every year on some parts of the coasts of 

 this island. John Hunter records one captured m the 

 Thames above London Bridge in 1783 ; and another, no 

 doubt of this species, is figured in Dale's 'History of Harwich 

 and Dovercourt,' as having been captured in the Blackwater 

 estuary. 



Odontoceti. Delphinid^. 



Orca gladiator. Grampus. — John Hunter records the cap- 

 ture of three specimens of this savage and destructive animal 

 in the River Thames towards the end of the last century ; and 

 in the British Museum is the skull of a specimen taken on 

 the Essex coast, as recorded in the 'Zoologist' for 1873, 

 p. 3429. Some years since I saw two whales, which had been 

 killed in one of the creeks of the Blackwater, which I have 

 no doubt were of this species, but no record was kept of them, 

 and I do not recollect what became of their bones ; probably, 

 as usual, they went for manure. 



Phocena communis. Porpoise. — Who does not know this 

 merry and active creature ? It occurs everywhere on our 

 coasts, and is as frequently seen during stormy weather as at 

 any other time, apparently revelling in the tempestuous 

 waters. It is so common that I have not thought it necessary 

 to give any records of capture. 



Delphinus delphis. Common Dophin. — I have not been 

 able to find a record of the occurrence of this common 



