156 CETACEA. 



in the pectorals being pointed, the dorsal more obtuse, and 

 the body streaked with white ; the colour of the upper 

 parts is steel- grey, mth numerous irregular white streaks ; 

 white beneath ; tail slender, long, keeled, rounded on the 

 belly." [The foregoing account is from Gray's Brit. Mus. 

 Cat., quoted from llisso.] 



It is said by Gray to be common near Nice in March 

 and September. One was stranded on the French coast, 

 in the Department of the Herault, in 1850, recorded by 

 Gervais, who looks upon this species as identical with the 

 Hyperoodon Doumetii of the coast of Corsica. 



N.B. — It would appear to be the same with the Del- 

 phinus Sowerhyi of Desmarest, or the Diodon Sowerhcei of 

 BeU. 



Genus MONODON. 



Teeth two in number, one generally remaining unde- 

 veloped in the jaw, the other stretching forwards in a 

 line with the body, long, straight, spirally twisted; no 

 dorsal fin. 



Monodon monoceros. 



Monodon monoceros, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 787 ; Bell, Brit. Quad. ; 



ScHiNZ, Europ. Faun. vol. i. p. 94. 

 Ceratodon monodon. Keys. u. Blas, Wirbelth. Europ. p. 74. 

 The Narwhal, or Sea Unicorn. 



Description. — One tooth only developed, of great length, 

 sometimes exceeding 6 feet, with a few instances where 

 it has reached even 10 feet, spirally twisted, quite straight, 

 tapering to a blunt point, composed of very hard and white 

 ivory; the outline of the head varies in different indi- 

 viduals, according to the amount of fat on the forehead ; 

 the first half of the body is nearly cylindrical, the rest 

 conical ; in this latter portion there is a low dorsal and ven- 

 tral ridge, and less distinctly marked lateral ridges, giving 



