PHYSETER.] MAMMALIA CETACEA. 45 



DIMENS. Entire length from fifty to sixty-three feet. 



DESCRIPT. Head enormously large, forming more than one-third of 

 the entire bulk ; the hody gradually tapering "from the posterior part of 

 it towards the tail : upper part of the snout very thick and swollen, as it 

 were truncated in front, and overhanging considerably the lower jaw; 

 this last of a narrow elongated form, fitting, when the mouth is closed, 

 into a grooved cavity above : upper jaw without whalebone or visible 

 teeth, although a few teeth may be found concealed within the gums on 

 cutting through the integuments ; in the lower jaw from forty to forty -nine 

 teeth (there being occasionally an odd one), entering likewise when the 

 mouth is shut into corresponding cavities above ; the last three or four 

 on each side smaller than the others, and somewhat hooked ; the rest 

 projecting above the gums about two inches, cylindrical or conical, with 

 bluntish summits ; those in front inclining backwards, those situate more 

 behind forwards, the middle tooth on each side being nearly vertical : 

 blow-hole single, near the extremity of the snout, and placed rather to 

 the left of the median line : no dorsal fin ; instead of it a callous ridge 

 commencing gradually, and terminating behind abruptly in a sort of 

 hook-like process : pectorals small. General colour black or dusky, some- 

 what paler beneath*. 



Occasionally stranded on different parts of the coast, but not of fre- 

 quent occurrence in the British seas. The upper part of the head in this 

 species consists of large cavities, separated from each other by a cartila- 

 ginous substance, and filled with an oily fluid, which, in its congealed 

 state, forms the spermaceti of commerce. These cavities are quite dis- 

 tinct from that of the cranium which is situate beneath. 



(2.) P. Catodon, lAimCatodon Sibbaldi, Flem. Brit. An. p. 39. 



This supposed species is too imperfectly characterized, and rests on 

 too doubtful authority, to rank as distinct. In the opinion of Cuvier, 

 (Oss. Foss. torn. v. p. 335.) the herd stated by Sibbald (Phalainolog. 

 Nov. p. 24.) as having occurred at Kairston in Orkney, consisting of an 

 hundred individuals, were probably Belugas (Delphinus albicans), some 

 of which had lost the teeth in the upper jaw through age. Moreover 

 Sibbald appears only to have had his account from others, and not to 

 have seen any of the individuals himself. 



(2. PHYSETER, Lactp.) 



72. P. Tursio, Linn. (High-Jtnned Cachalot.) Teeth 

 very slightly bent, with flat summits. 



P. Tursio, Flem. Brit. An. p. 38. P. Mular, Lacep. Cetac. p. 239. 

 Desm. Mammal, p. 526. High-finned Cachalot, Penn. Brit. Zool. 

 vol. in. p. 64. 



DESCRIPT. Said to be characterized by an erect dorsal fin, very high, 

 and pointed at the extremity: blow-hole in front: teeth very slightly 

 bent, with flat or obtuse summits : in other respects similar to the P. 

 macrocephalus. 



But very little is known of this species. The few particulars on record 

 respecting it are principally taken from Sibbald, who briefly describes a 

 Cachalot with the above characters, which came on shore on the Orkney 

 Isles in 1687. 



* Some parts of this description are borrowed from Alderson's account of this species, 1. c. 



