54 MAMMALIA. CETACEA. Delphinus. 



tab. i. f. 4 — In the British seas near the shore, at all seasons, and 

 termed Meersuine, Herring-Hogs, Neessock, Pellock, and Bucker. 

 This species seldom exceeds 6 feet in length, and usually occurs in the most 

 sheltered bays and friths, generally in pairs, and is irregular in its motions. 

 In a female which I examined, 5^ feet in length, the dorsal fin was 8 inches 

 broad, and 5 high, and 2 feet ^ inches from the nose. Swimmers 3| inches 

 broad at the base, 7 long, and 13 from the snout. Nose to the eye, 6 inches. 

 Nose to the blow-hole, 7 inches. Nose to the anus, 3 feet 7 inches. Gape, 

 4 inches. The under jaw half an inch longer than the upper, and rather 

 pointed than obtuse, considering the size of the animal. Teeth, 54 in the up- 

 per-jaw, and 47 in the lower. Weight, 130 pounds. The foetus, a male, was 

 fully formed, though only 7 inches long, and as there was milk in the teats, 

 the period of parturition was at hand. This one was found dead 30th Novem- 

 ber. Hunter states that there are five cervical vertebrae, and one common 

 to^ the neck and back, fourteen proper to the back, and thirty to the taU. 

 Ribs, 16 on each side. — The flesh of this animal was formerly held in estima- 

 tion. Malcolm IV. granted to the Monastery of Dunfermling, " Capita pis- 

 cium qui dicuntur Crespeis prseter linguam, qui in meo dominio ex ilia parte 

 Scottwater applicuerint,in qua parte iUorum ecclesia sita est."— Sib. Fife. 295. 



50. D. Orca. Grampus. — Teeth conical, swimmers broad, 

 and rounded. 



Orca, Sibb. Phal. p. 17 Hunter, Phil. Trans. 1787, p. 373. tab. xvi., xvii- 



— In herds in the British seas and friths, at all seasons. 

 The grampus reaches to 24 feet in length. The lower jaw is said to be 

 wider than the upper, and the teeth to be about thirty in number. This spe- 

 cies is gregarious, and moves rapidly forward in the water. When it comes 

 to the surface to respire, it remains, like the porpess, but for an instant, and 

 then dives, describing, however, in its course a much wider arch. In the 

 Frith of Tay, it goes nearly as far up as the salt-water reaches, almost every 

 tide at flood, during the months of July and August, in pursuit of salmon, of 

 which it devours immense numbers. Hunter found in the stomach of one 

 which he examined, a portion of a porpess. We are still in want of a good 

 description of this species. The D. gladiator of Lacepede, constituted from a 

 drawing and description of one taken in the Thames 1793, is regarded by 

 Cuvier as not distinct from D. Orca. The dorsal fin is considered as situate 

 nearer the head than in the grampus, and to be higher and more pointed. 



51. D. melas, Ca'ing whale. — Teeth conical, swimmers long 

 and narrow. 



NeiWsTowic through Orkney, p. 221 — Traill, Nicholson's Joum. vol. xxii. 

 p. 81 — Scoresby, Arct. Keg. i. 496. tab. xiii. f. 1. — Common in herds 

 from autumn to spring, especially in the northern islands. 

 Naturalists are indebted to Mr NeUl for having first pointed out the dis- 

 tinguishing characters of this species as different from the grampus. Though 

 it moves uniformly forward, its motion is slow, and when it comes up to blow, 

 it remains several minutes on the surface. It is easily controlled in its mo- 

 tions, so that a whole herd is frequently driven ashore at once If one indi- 

 vidual be wounded and takes the ground, the others will speedily take the 

 same course, whence the origin ot the name. The following observations 

 on the animal by Dr Traill, are given by IMr Scoresby : " Body tliick, black ; 

 one short dorsal fin ; pectoral fins long, narrow ; head obtuse ; upper jaw 

 bent forward ; teeth subconoid, sharp, and a little bent. This animal grows 

 to the length of about 24 feet : the average length of the adults may be about 

 20, and their greatest circumference 10 or 11 feet. The measurements of one 

 examined by Mr Watson, were as follow: length, 194 feet; greatest circum- 

 ference, 10; pectoral fin (the external portion), 3i feet long, by 18 inches 

 broad; dorsal fin, 15 inches high, by 2 feet 3 inches broad j breadth of the 



