06 



the Midland Union, would not consider these facts to be beyond the 

 limits of their respective spheres of observation. And when we are 

 told that Cetaceans have been brought, both living and dead, to Bir- 

 mingham and other places inland, at great expense, and from long 

 distances, we need feel no hesitation in introducing Mr. Southwell's 

 book to the notice of our readers, as one having some points of consider- 

 able local interest, apart from its general merits as a contribution to 

 science. It will be remembered that in the " Midland Naturalist " 

 for March, 1880, we called attention to the new edition of Lubbock's 

 " Fauna of Norfolk," which had then been recently published under 

 the editorship of Mr. Southwell. In the present work the author has 

 brought together all the leading facts relating to the Seals and Whales 

 met with around the British Islands. Avoiding, as far as possible, all 

 technical terms, he has given a description of each species sufficient 

 for its proper determination, and in most cases an excellent portrait of 

 it. These descriptions are combined with very interesting records of 

 the habits, and geographical distribution of the auimals; and with 

 accounts of the whaling-trade, and of the seal-fisheries in the Green- 

 land seas, though the latter are associated with incidents of a painful 

 nature. 



The two groups are couveuieutly united for the purposes of 

 description, as well as of study. The Seals, classed as Finnipcdia (a sub- 

 order of Caruivora,) are divided into the I'hocida', or true Seals ; the 

 Tricheclddcc, represented by the Walrus only ; and the Otari id^e, or Fi-dred 

 Seals. It is mentioned that the Walrus, still a rare and accidental 

 straggler on the British coasts, is gradually becoming exterminated. 

 In the fifteenth century it was probably not uncommon on our shores. 



More familiar to most of us are the members of the other order, 

 Cetacea, divided into the Mijstacoceti or Whalebone Whales, 

 and the Odontoceti or Toothed Whales ; and including, besides 

 the forms popularly known as Whales, the Grampus, Porpoise, 

 and Dolphin. While, through ignorance or inadvertence, these 

 animals are not uufrequently spoken of as " Ushes," such want of 

 respect in misrepresenting their rank and title may be pardoned, when 

 we learn that both Ray and Pennant had assigned to them such an 

 inferior position ; and when also we find it customary to speak of the 

 Whale-fisheries, as well as the Seal-fisheries. The records of both 

 trades tell an unhappy tale of decline. 



Among the Toothed Whales, the sub-family Ziphiincr is of remark- 

 able interest, for Mr. Southwell observes that until the present 

 century the Ziphioid Whales were, with one exception, known to 

 science only from their fossil remains found chiefly in the Crag 

 deposits. Even ten years ago few specimens had been obtained, and 

 their habits were then almost absolutely unknown. This lack of know- 

 ledge may serve to nourish the hope of those who are sanguine enough 

 to believe in the existence of the Great Sea Serpent. And it may not be 

 out of place to mention that in " Nature," for February 10th, 1881, 

 Mr. Searles V. Wood has suggested that this famous monster may 



