Dr. A. Gunther on the British Salmonoids. 



59 



that animal, I am unable to speak concerning its external appearance. 

 Therefore I believe it is better to describe the species in question 

 under a new name, and I propose to you, if you please to accept it, 

 that of Balcenoptera patachonica. 



" Since I have received the excellent books you sent me, and for 

 which I give you my best thanks, I have found in them figures of the 

 two skulls of Dolphins in the Buenos Ayres Museum. The larger 

 is your Delphinus Eurynome (p. 38, pi. 17), and the smaller your 

 Delphinus microps (p. 72, pi. 25). Both are inhabitants of the 

 Atlantic in our latitude. The new Phoccena is wanting in your 

 list. I propose to give the name Phoccena spinipinnis to it, from the 

 numerous spines on the dorsal fin. We have the entire animal, with 

 the skull, which I will examine when it is taken from the dry skin 

 in which it is enclosed. By the next French steamer I will send you 

 an accurate drawing and complete description of it." 



" P.S. — I have told you nothing of the under jaw of Balcenoptera 

 patachonica, because the surface of the bone is much destroyed by 

 long exposure to the air, rain, and sun ; but the hinder part, with 

 the coronoid process, is represented in fig. 11." 



Fig. 11. 



A letter was read, addressed to the Secretary by Prof. J. J. Bian- 

 coni, of Bologna, stating that, in the course of researches upon the 

 osteology of the extinct genus Mpyornis, he had come to the con- 

 clusion that that form belonged to the Vulturidee, and not to the 

 Struthious birds. 



Dr. A. Gunther gave an account of the present state of his re- 

 searches into the British species of Salmonoid fishes, which he had 

 undertaken whilst engaged in preparing the catalogue of the speci- 

 mens of this family in the collection of the British Museum. Dr. 

 Gunther stated that the genus Salmo was essentially an arctic group, 

 inhabiting the northern portions of both hemispheres, and becoming 

 more abundant in species upon receding from subtropical into tem- 

 perate latitudes. Dr. Gunther was disposed to believe that the 

 species of this genus to be found within British waters would be 

 ultimately found to be much more numerous than had been hitherto 

 suspected. From the materials at present at his command, he had 

 already been able to distinguish what he believed would turn out to 

 be four new species of the non-migratory group of true Salmo, be- 

 sides identifying several others heretofore imperfectly distinguished. 



