282 DELPHINIDiE, 



to the animal intended by the ancients, and characterizes it, ''Mnseau 

 conforme comnie celui du Dauj^hin viilgairc, dents larges et crenelees 

 sur lenrs bords" — being a translation of Artedi (Gen. Piscium, 76, 3), 

 " D, rostro sursum rcpando, dentibus latis seiTutis." 



0. Fabricius observes that he never saw D. Orca ; but Professor 

 Eschricht believes the Plujseter microps of 0. Fabricius to be the 

 Killer, or D. Orca of Linnaeus (Dan. Trans, xii.). 



Fabricius says, " The AkllmTc\\as in the lower jaw 22 teeth, 11 on 

 each side, arched, falciform, hollow internally as far as the point, 

 projecting scarcely a third part (and this visible part is enamelled, 

 com jjressed- conical, with the point shai-p, curved inwardly and at the 

 same time verging a little backwards ; but the concealed part broader 

 and having two parts, compressed anteriorly and posteriorly, and, 

 especially on the side nearest the throat, channelled) ; of the length 

 of a linger, and Ij inch broad; the middle ones larger, the anterior 

 and posterior smaller. Beak rather obtuse. Beside the pectoral fins, 

 it has a long, erect dorsal fin. In size it is to be regarded as amongst 

 the smaller whales. Skin glabrous, black ; the fat thick, but little 

 oily ; flesh red."- — Fabricius, Faun. Grcenl. 



Of the AidluiTc wonderful stories are told : the following is not the 

 most extraordinarj' : — " Where these appear, all the seals disappear, 

 else they make desperate slaughter among them ; for they have such 

 sagacity aiid skill in catching them with the mouth and fins, that 

 they are sometimes seen loaded with five at a time, one in the mouth, 

 a couple under each fin, and one under the back fin." — Crantz, Green- 

 land, i. 116. 



I formerly thought that the Akllmh of 0. Fabricius was identical 

 with the BaJama microcepliala of Sibbald ; but Professor Eschricht 

 observes that it is most important, in the determination of 0. Fabri- 

 cius's synonyma, to attend to the Grcenlanders' names, as they are 

 most accurate cetohgists. He states (on the authority of Captain 

 Holboll) " that two of the animals which Fabricius refei'red to 

 Physeter — viz. 1st, the ' Pernak' (which he called P, Catodon), pro- 

 bably, and, 2nd, the ' Aidluik,' called by him P. microps (which 

 Cuvier thought might be D. ghhiceps), certainly — are the Northern 

 Sword-fish, Delp>liinus Orca." — Kong. Danshe Afhandl. xi. 136. (See 

 also Eschricht, (Eversigt Kong. Vid. Sclsk. Forh. 1862, 65.) In his 

 last paper he regards the Ardluhsoah, or the Large Greenland Orqiie, 

 as the male, and the AidJuik as the female of the Delpliinus Orca. — 

 Ann. Sd. Nat. 1 864, 209. 



Fabricius's description of the 'Aidluik' wdll do for Orca gladiator, 

 except that he calls it black, and does not mention the very remark- 

 able white marks of that species, and he described the lower jaw 

 only as toothed. Now the upper teeth of Orca are not deciduous. 

 It is more probably a Grampus. 



Lilljeborg describes two species of Orca, one with 11, and the other 

 with 12 ribs ; but they seem to vary in number in the same specimens. 

 Professor Eschricht thinks there are more than one European species 

 of Orca ; but he has not characterized the species, and onlj" gives 

 some rambling notes on their wanting systematic consideration. 



