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LIX. Description of the SJaills of two apparently iindescribed 

 Species of Dolphins^ -dahich a?-e in the Biitish Museum. 

 By J. E. Gray, Esq. F.G.S. 4c* 



TTNTIL Camper, Splx, Cuvier, Rudolphi and BlainvUle, 

 ^^ published their dissertations on the bones of the Cetaceous 

 animals, the species were enveloped in such complete con- 

 fusion that it was impossible to distinguish one from another; 

 and all these authors have proved that the best characters are 

 to be drawn from the examination of the skull. 



Having recently an occasion to examine the skulls of the 

 species of this genus which are in the collection of the British 

 Museum, there were two which appeared to differ from any 

 of the skulls which had been figured. And one of them (and 

 perhaps the other) having been collected from quite a different 

 part of the world from the species which they most nearly 

 resemble, I have been induced to notice them provisionally as 

 new species, from the examination of the skulls alone. 



The first specimen was brought to this country and pre- 

 sented to the Museum by Capt. P. P. King, R.N., when he 

 returned from his survey of the Coast of New Holland; and 

 therefore I am desirous of dedicating the species to him, and 

 shall propose to call it Delphinus (Delphinapterus?) ^m^zV. 



The form and structui'e of the skull most nearly approaches 

 Delphitms Leucas found in the North Seas, and figured by 

 Pallas in his Travels, t. 69. and the skull by Cuvier, Oss. Foss.v. 

 t. 22. f. 56. The skull under consideration differs from the 

 latter figures by the shortness of the beak compared with the 

 length of the head, which is less than one-half; and in the 

 narrowness of the exposed portion of the maxilla; which edges 

 the front of the blowers. The cavity of the brain is rather 

 more globular, and the blower more anterior. The upper 

 jaw contains 9 or 10, and the lower jaw 9 teeth on each side; 

 they are small, conical, and recurved. 



The length from the tip of tlie beak to the front of the 

 blowers, 8 inches ; from the back of the blower on the back of 

 the head to the top of the occipital bone 5 inches; breadth of 

 ttte blower 2| ; length of the blower 1^ ; breadth of the head 

 between the outer edge of the post-orbital apophysis, 9 inches ; 

 between the outer wing of the temporal bone 7^ inches ; the 

 height of the head to the top of the occipital crest, 8^ inches; 

 breadth of the beak at the commencement of the cheek-bones, 

 5 inches. 



I have no account of the animal from which this skull was 



* Communicated by the Author, 



taken ; 



