BY H. H. SCOTT ASD CLIVE E. LORD. 109 



HISTORY. 



The two whales chiefly noted in this paper, both came 

 into the Tamar River (the male some yeais prior to the 

 female), and wore thus captured; both were in ill-health. 

 The male had just escaped from some titanic battle, and 

 was torn and mutilated. The female ascended the North 

 Esk to Hobblers' Bridge, and died there, but the male 

 still showed fight, and was killed in the Cataract Gorge, 

 and aftei-wards exhibited in Brisbane-street. 



Both were similar in external outlines, and also in 

 colour. In the matt-er of the lower jaws, the mandibular 

 symphysis protruded more in the male than in the 

 female. 



The upper parts of these Dolphins were deep black, 

 richly polished, with slate-coloured tints below. We hold 

 skulls and parts of skeletons from King Island, Flinders, 

 and the North-West Coast of Tasmania, and there is 

 some evidence in favour of admitting a second species of 

 Tursioj)s, but for the present we regard Tuminps fitrsio jvs 

 being alone certain. If a second species is shown to 

 exist, we think a curious twisting of the neural spines of 

 the lumbar vertebrae and the moderate length of some 

 eight feet odd, will largely enter into its specific charac- 

 ters. Twice we have traced such items, but we are still 

 awaiting the evidence obtainable from the dissection of a 

 complete specimen. 



• In conclusion, we may just point out that as far as 

 our evidence goes the Turxinpx of Australian seas very 

 closely simulates that of European waters, and, upon the 

 whole, justifies the r-^tpntion of a single classification for 

 both parts of the £rlobe. It might be wise, however, to 

 retain for our Dolphins the additional distinctive title — 

 "Southern Form" — as we suggested in the early part of 

 our paper. 



