i;v H. II. BCOTT AN I) CLI\ K. E. LOKD. «J 



EXTERNAL CHARACTERS. 



Although it is here assumed that the modern method 

 of reducing all the smaller dolphins to a single spi 

 (that of the type) is a more or Uss wise one, it must >t i 1 1 

 bo claimed that such a proceeding haves certain outstand- 

 ing facts unaccounted for. In a word such a sped 

 that of "Delphinit8 fosteri," having apparently will mark- 

 id external characl rs, and some slight skeletal ones, does 

 not agree in all resp < t- with the large eight feet dolphins 

 that frequent our coasts, and of which we hold a com- 

 plete skeleton, and a set of noUs made upon the animal 

 prior to dissection. Perhaps tin lust that can be dour 

 at present is to regard the better defined sp 

 of former classifications as being sub-races, and to -ink 

 in inii, all the ill-defined ones. The mon oni studies the 

 Cetacea the mor 1 1 1 ■ conviction grows that we are dealing 

 with a rapidly evolving order of marine mammals, and 

 within certain limits, taxonomy is tentative and 



linly unworkable if push d to extremes. We here- 

 with detail th xt rnal appearances of two animals, 

 a mature male of eight feet ii and the other an 



immature male of six and a half feet in length- 

 Mi i asur ment 9 being includi d. 



Mntiir, Male. 



Between the dorsal fin and the In ad the animal was 

 jet black. From the constriction of the beak to the eye 

 ran a curved black line — outlined and washed with white. 

 ( th' eye to a line drawn vertically with the back of 



the dorsal tin was a curved line, above which the animal 

 was black, and below which the colour shaded from dirty 

 grey to white In the tail region i deal of iron 



grey appeared, and it was assumed that, in young animals, 

 the grey, white, and iron grey, would appear as yellow, 

 thus giving rise to such a vernacular name as "yellow 

 sided 'dolphin." The actual flukes of the tail were black. 



Immaturt Malt. 



In the arrangement of the Beveral colour areas this 

 young male simulated the adult animal, but the whit of 

 the tinderparts was replaced by yellow, or more correctly, 

 yellowish white. This animal came from the Derwent 

 River and was as nearly adult, in point of measurement, 

 as nine and a half is to twelve. Smaller animals, from 

 the same river, in the collection of the Hobart Museum, 

 show much deeper yellow tinting along the underparts — 



