106 CETACEA 



June of that year in the upper part of the estuary, near 

 Cambuskenneth, by salmon-fishers, who attacked it with fire- 

 arms and spears. Hearing of the capture, Mr Robert Bald of 

 Alloa promptly secured it, and had it forwarded to Professor 

 Jameson of Edinburgh, and in December of the following 

 year an account of it was communicated to the Wernerian 

 Natural History Society by Dr Barclay and Mr Neill. Their 

 paper, illustrated by two plates, on one of which is a sketch 

 of the animal, was printed in the Society's "Memoirs" (vol. iii., 

 pp. 371-395). For about three months it had been observed 

 almost daily passing and repassing Alloa harbour, and it was 

 often observed at Kincardine also. It generally passed up 

 the estuary (in pursuit of salmon it was supposed) when the 

 tide was flowing, and returned with the ebb. Measured in 

 a straight line, its extreme length was 13 feet 4 inches. Its 

 stuffed skin is still preserved in the Museum of Science and 

 Art, Edinburgh. 



The species being an inhabitant of high northern latitudes, 

 and only a rare straggler to the European side of the North 

 Atlantic, this specimen is likely still long to remain unique 

 as a Forth example. 



POEPOISR 



PlIOC^JNA COMMUNIS F. Cuv. 



The Porpoise is by far the best-known Cetacean we have, 

 occurring abundantly in the estuaries or adjoining waters 

 throughout the year; it is, indeed, the only species which 

 can be regarded as common and resident. In pursuit of its 

 prey it ascends both the Tay and the Forth, practically as 

 high as the tide flows, and it is not unfrequently captured in 



