BEAKED WHALES, FAMILY ZIPHIID^ TRUE. 21 



EXTERNAL FORM AND COLOR. 



The general form was slender and elongate. The beak sloped gradually from 

 its extremity to the forehead, and there was no constriction separating the beak 

 from the remainder of the head. Behind the blowhole, the outhne of the back 

 commenced at a higher level, but immediately curved slightly downward, indicating 

 the position of the neck. The line then rose gradually until the anterior base of the 

 dorsal fin was reached. Behind the fin the outline sloped downward gradually to 

 the flukes. 



The dorsal fui was relatively small, falcate, and obtusely terminated. The 

 distance in front of its anterior base was three-fifths of the total length. Its posterior 

 margin was continuous with the ridge of the back, which extended to the flukes and 

 terminated abruptly a httle anterior to the middle point of the antero-posterior 

 breadth of the flukes. In front of the fin the back was rounded. 



The pectoral fuis were small and were placed low down on the sides. Their 

 anterior base was as far removed from the eye (in a straight line) as the eye was 

 from the extremity of the beak. Their shape was somewhat different from that 

 of the flippers of M. hidens figured by Sir William Turner." Their anterior margin 

 was nearly straight throughout ; the extremity was evenly and distinctly rounded 

 off. The posterior margin was slightly convex in the distal half and straight 

 proximallj'. 



The conformation of the region of the axilla was quite peculiar. The hard 

 integument of the posterior margin of the flipper was continued proximally inward 

 and forward to a point near the head of the humerus. The triangular area between 

 this stiff edge and the side of the body was occupied by a thin, soft, wrinkled skin, 

 in the middle of which the olecranon could be felt. On the side of the body this 

 soft integument occupied an area nearly as large as the Hipper, the underlying thick 

 laj-er of blubber endmg abruptly, especially below. A depression was thus formed 

 in which the flippers could be placed so as to be almost in the same general plane 

 with surrounding surfaces of the body. They are probably so placed when the 

 animal is swimming. 



The flukes had the general lunate form common to all species of the order. The 

 posterior margin is not divided in the center. Its middle third was convex ; its 

 lateral thirds concave. In these and other respects the shape of the flukes agreed 

 closely with Sir William Turner's excellent figure of M. hidens.'' The antero-poste- 

 rior breadth of tlie flukes was, however, somewhat greater in proportion to their 

 transverse breadth than is indicated in this figure. The caudal peduncle termi- 

 nated above at a point 6i inches in front of the posterior margin of the flukes. On 

 this margin were situated three star-shaped white scars, which appeared to mark 

 the pomts of attachment of crustacean parasites. 



The margins of the upj^er jaw were very obtuse posteriorly, the rostrum beino- 

 covered with a layer of blubber of gradually increasmg thickness. A depression 



o Joum. Anat. Phys., vol. 20, pi. 4, figs. 2 and 3, Oct. 1885. 

 6 Idem, pi. 4, fig. 1. 



