116 



Genus MESOPLODON, Gervais. 



Beak of the skull nearly five-sevenths of the entire length of the 

 cranium, keeled on each side ; brain-cavity small ; teeth n? placed 

 nearly in the centre of each ramus, of the male large, of the female 

 much smaller ; mandibular symphysia about two-sevenths of the entire 

 length of ramus. 



MESOPLOBON SOWEEBIENSIS, de Blainville. Sowerby's Ziphius. 



Synonyms Physeter bidens, Sowerby. 



Delphinus Sowerbiensis, de Blainville, 



JLeterodon Sowerbyi, Lesson. 



ZipUus Sowerbienis, Gray, S. & W., p. 350, Suppl. p. 101. 



Mesoplodon Sowerbiense, Gervais, Bened. 



Diplodon Sowerbiense, Gervais. 



Mesoplodon Thomsoni (?) Krefft, MSS. 



Teeth n> much compressed, placed on the anterior third of the ramus, 

 their points directed upwards, and somewhat backwards. 



Inhab : North Sea, Coasts of Europe, Coast of New South Wales (?) 



Very few solitary specimens of this species in the living state have- 

 only been secured since its first discovery in 1800 on the coasts of 

 Scotland, and these have been found stranded on the shores of Ireland, 

 Erance, Norway, and the Netherlands, to which list of localities may 

 possibly be added that of New South Wales. ' 



Of two of these captured animals, one is described as black above 

 and greyish beneath, and the skin presented a soft, satiny appearance ; 

 the other, as having the upper portion of a brownish-lead colour, and 

 the belly bluish and ash. 



In length the adults varied from 11 to 16 feet. 



The skeleton in the Australian Museum, which, for the present is 

 considered as a synonym, is that of an animal stranded at the latter 

 end of 1870 on the beach near Little Bay, shortly to the north of 

 Botany Heads. 



This skeleton I have compared with the excellent engravings of the 

 Mesop. Sowerbiensis in MM. Yan Beneden and Gervais " Ost. des 

 Cetaces," but I cannot detect any essential difference of structure 

 between them, although the separating geographic range of habitat is 

 of a maximum nature. I have been lately told that Mr. Flower, on 

 being supplied with a brief description and photographs, has expressed 

 a similar opinion of their identity. 



A more careful investigation into details may possibly reveal some 

 differentiating character, and, if I am permitted the use of a little 



