XII GRAMPUS AND KILLER 37 5 



seven to twelve on each side, confined to anterior end of 

 jaws. Skull raised into a prominence behind the blow-hole; 

 pterygoids large and in contact. Pectoral fin long and falcate ; 

 dorsal fin present. No beak. Vertebral formula C7, Dll, Lll 

 to 14, Ca 27 to 29. Six pairs of the ribs are two-headed. 



The best known species of the genus is the Ca'ing Whale, 

 G. nielas} This animal reaches a length of 20 feet, and is thus 

 one of the largest of the Delphinidae. It is gregarious and was, 

 even is now, much hunted in the Faeroe Islands. Its sheep- 

 like habits (embodied in one scientific name cleductor) enable 

 it to be easily driven on shore in hei'ds, which are then har- 

 pooned. The foetus of this Whale has a few hairs ; the number 

 of phalanges in the two middle digits is very great, as many as 

 eleven to fourteen. G. scmnmoni, G. hrachypterus, and G. i7idu"us 

 are other reputed species of the genus allowed by True and 

 Blanford. 



Grampus is a genus allied to the last. It has no teeth in 

 the upper jaw, and but three to seven in the lower jaw, near the 

 symphysis of the mandible. The pterygoids are in contact. 

 There is no beak, and the pectoral tin is long. There are twelve 

 pairs of ribs, of which six are two-headed. Apparently there 

 is bu.t one species, G. griscus, known as "Risso's Dolphin." 

 It is a Mediterranean and Atlantic form, and is not common. 



The genus Orca has as characters : — Teeth ten to thirteen, 

 long and strong. Pterygoids not quite meeting. Vertebrae 

 C 7, I) 11 to 12, L 10, Ca 23. The first two or three fused. 

 Tlie dorsal tin is long and pointed. 



Of this genus there may be more than one species ; but the best 

 known is the Killer Whale, 0. gladiator (Fig. 180, p. 341), often 

 spoken of as the " Grampus." ■'' It is marked with contrasting bands 

 of white or yellow upon a black body-colour. The animal grows to 

 a considerable length, as much as 30 feet. Urea, is a powerful and 

 rapacious Whale; and Eschricht has stated that from the stomach 

 of one, thirteen Porpoises and fourteen Seals were extracted. Tliey 

 will also combine to attack larger Whales, and Scammon has 

 related how he witnessed such an onslaught upon a Californian 



' See an essay on the hunting of tliis Whale, by S. H. C. Muller, in Fish and 

 Fisheries, Edinburgh (Blackwood), 18S3. 



'^ Grampus being a contraction of grand jwisso^i is an obvious name to apply 

 to any Whale. 



