SPOTTED DOLPHIN. 323 



reproduction of the somewhat crndo original. Tlie whole lower part 

 of the body, includii)g the jiectorals and beak and a band over the tail, 

 is represented as beinjr of a very dark stone-color, while the upper half 

 is black. The whole body is sparingly covered with irregular white 

 spots. In having light-colored pectorals and beak and a Innate band 

 of light coloi- over the tail, this aininal ai)pears to differ from the Pen- 

 sacola speciuieu. The skulls are quite similar, but the beak is longer 

 and narrower in D.imnciatua and the teeth are more numerous ("^p. The 

 skeleton, on account of restricted time, I was unable to examine in de- 

 tail. 



A comparison with the species known only from the skull is not 

 entirely satisfactory. The Peusacola specimen is identical, in the first 

 place, with the D. pUujiodon described by Professor Cope in 186G (P. A. 

 2s'. S. P., 180 J, ]). 290) from a single skull, without locality, contained iu 

 the collections of the National Museum. I have compared the two 

 skulls with each other and can find no difierences of importance. (See 

 measurements, p. 321.) JD. plagiodon, however, as Professor Cojje him- 

 self suspected, would appear to be identical with Prodelphinns doris 

 (Gray). (See measurements, p. 321.) 



Tiie type of the latter species is considerably smaller than that of 

 F. plagiodon^ but agrees with it closely in detail. So far the identifica- 

 tion is reasonably sure, and it is, perhaps, best that we should not 

 attempt to seek an earlier name. If we do we fall inevitably into per- 

 plexity. There are a number of skulls in the Paris INIuseum labeled 

 P. dubius, which, as Professor Flower has already pointed out, show a 

 great similarity to the type of P. doris; but we do not know to which 

 particular specimen Cuvier first applied the name, and his description 

 is too vague to be of any value where closely allied species are con- 

 cerned. Furthermore, the skulls labeled P. dubius agree with others 

 bearing different names, notably with one called P. brevimanus, of which 

 the external form and color were made known by Hombron and Jacquinot 

 (in Voyage de I'Astrolabe, Zool., 1840, pi. 21), and of which the skele- 

 ton and skin are still preserved. In color and number of vertebrae this 

 specimen does not agree with our Pensacola animal, and thus we find 

 that our chain of resemblances will not meet at the ends. The case is 

 the same upon comparing P. frcenatus, P. frontalis, and other species. 

 We are forced, therefore, to fall back on P. doris, the earliest described 

 species with which our specimen can be satisfactorily identified. 



Diagnosis of the species. 

 Prodelphinus DORIS (Gray) Flower. 



Delphinua Doris, Gray, Zool. Ereb. &. Terr., 184G, p. 39, pi. xx. 



Delphinua {Cephalorliynchua) Doris, Gray, Cat. Mam. Brit. Mne., Cetacea, 1850,' p. 114. 



Tarsio Doris, Gray, Cat. Seals & WhaleB, 1866, p. 255. 



