106 MARINE MAMMALS OF THE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. 
SECTION XIV.— THE SQUAREHEADED GRAMPUS. 
The conflicting descriptions given of this animal forbid an exact delineation. 
Some observers say it has nearly the form of the Sperm "Whale — especially its 
head, which is square and extremely bulky. Others aver that its mouth, which 
"lays low," terminates in a short beak, with a high square forehead. Our own 
observations have been confined to distant views of them from the masthead 
or from the deck ; yet they have afforded considerable opportunity to note their 
movements, which are very nearly an imitation of the smaller Sperm Whales. 
Their spouting and "turning of flukes," which are performed with characteristic 
regularity, have deceived many an expert whaleman, and repeatedly the boats have 
been lowered in pursuit of them, the animals having been mistaken for Cacha- 
lots. The Squareheaded Grampuses, however, frequently remain longer upon and 
underneath the surface of the water than the Sperm Whales, and seldom, if ever, 
go in large schools, as do the Cachalots and Blackfish. In this respect they 
have more the habits of the Orcas. They are said to yield a superior quality 
of oil, but in small quantity, compared to their size. 
SECTION XV.— THE BROWNSIDED DOLPHIN OF SANTA BARBARA 
CHANNEL. 
Although the knowledge we possess of this dolphin is very meagre — having 
discovered the animal after the natural history part of this work had been pre- 
pared for the press — still it is thought advisable to submit a description, however 
brief it may be. While lying at anchor off the town of Santa Barbara, May 16th, 
1873, a school of what we took to be the Striped or Common Porpoises, was 
seen playing around the vessel. Their irregular movements, and the unusual length 
of time they remained upon the surface of the water, afforded an opportunity to 
study them. Their forms were apparently the same as that of the Striped or 
Common Porpoise, except that the dorsal fin is of the triangular shape which is 
present with Baird's Dolphin, and the color on its sides is brown, while its back 
is of a dull black ; hence it has been given the provisional name of the Brown- 
sided Dolphin. With regard to the habits of the animal, we observed one peculiar 
feature : that of darting through the thick beds of kelp which fronted the shore. 
Really they seemed to delight in sporting among it, and occasionally one of the 
