BOTTLE-NOSED WHALES 
Family Ziphitde 
These whales are rare on our coasts and comparatively little 
is known of their habits. They are intermediate between the 
sperm whales and dolphins, both in size and structure. They 
all possess protruding snouts and have never more than two 
teeth. The front of the skull enlarges with age, the forehead be- 
coming vertical or even projecting in very old individuals. Three 
species are known on our coast. 
Bottle-nosed Whale 
Hyperotdon rostratus (Miller) 
Length. 20 feet. 
Description. Forehead more or less vertical, as described above, 
beak prominent, a depression on the head around the blowhole, 
flippers and dorsal fin moderate. No teeth visible, though 
two can be found at the front of the lower jaw loosely bur- 
ied in the gums. Colour blackish lead, somewhat lighter 
below. 
Range. North Atlantic and doubtless other oceans. 
Ziphius Whale 
Ziphius cavirostris Cuvier 
Length. 15-20 feet. 
Description. Similar to the preceding, but with the teeth at the 
front of the lower jaw usually visible. Three of the neck 
vertebral bones are also separate, while in the bottle-nose 
all are united. Colour light stone-gray, darker on the belly. 
Range. Pelagic. 
Cow-fish 
Mesoplodon bidens (Sowerby) 
Length. 16 feet. 
Description. Similar to the preceding species, but the male with 
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