262 



Seventeenth Genus.— OXYPTERUS. 



With two dorsal fins. 



M. Refinesque Smaltz, a naturalist established in 

 Sicily, proposed this name for a dolphin with two 

 dorsal fins, which he affirmed he had seen in the 

 Mediten-anean. The evidence he gave of its exist- 

 ence was unsatisfactory, and had not Messrs. Quoy 

 and Gaimard, in their voyage, met with another ex- 

 ample of this very singular genus, it would probably 

 have been passed by in this place. This was the 



RHINOCEROS WHALE. 



Oxj-pterus Rhinoceros, Lesson. — Delphinus Rhinoceros, 



Quoy and Gaimard. 



As no individual of this species was captiu-ed, we 

 cannot present any plate which could be depended 

 upon ; we copy, however, from the atlas of Quoy and 

 Gaimard, a cut which mil assist the imagination 

 and rivet the peculiarity on the memory. 



We shall quote the words of these eminent 

 voyagers. " In October 1809, in going from the 

 Sandwich Islands to New South Wales, many Dol- 

 phins, in troops, were performing their rapid evolu- 

 tions about our vessel. Every one on board was 



