76 Miscellaneous, 



But it is doubtful whether this species exists in the Mediterranean. 

 The genus Glohiceps has been recognized by M. Gervais in some 

 Delphinidae of 14-17 feet long, of which a shoal of about fifteen ran 

 on shore in the neighbourhood of Barcares (Pyrenees orientales) in 

 February 1864. Four of these specimens reached M. Gervais, and 

 he compared the skeleton of one of them with different skeletons of 

 G. melas in the Museum of Paris. The only differences that can be 

 pointed out reside in the curvature of the incisive bones, and in the 

 somewhat more obtuse appearance of the teeth ; but equivalent diffe- 

 rences also occur between the specimens of Globiceps from other 

 seas when carefully compared, so as, to a certain extent, to justify 

 the supposed species which have been admitted in this genus by 

 authors. The Mediterranean Globiceps thus appears to constitute 

 a new race, if not a new species. Like the Cetacea of this genus 

 which live in the ocean, it has the head much inflated, and the muz- 

 zle short ; and its colour is black, except beneath, where it presents a 

 large median band commencing in the form of a heart near the throat, 

 and extending to the anus. 



5. Risso's Porpoise {Grampus Rissoanus). — G. Cuvier has 

 described this species, which is very nearly allied to his Belphinus 

 griseus ; but the former lives in the Mediterranean, the latter on 

 the coasts of Brittany. The cranium of this species presents cha- 

 racters which are easily recognized. The Museum of Paris possesses 

 two skulls from specimens taken at Nice by Risso and Laurillard ; 

 there is another in the Museum of Marseilles obtained from one of 

 a shoal which came into Carry (Bouches-du-Rhone) two years ago. 



6. The Bottle-nosed Dolphin {Tursiops Tursio). — This is 

 not so rare as the preceding species, but far less common than the 

 Belphinus Delphis. M. Gervais has specimens taken in the Gulf of 

 Lyons, especially at Cette and La Nouvelle and at Gruissau. 



7. The Common Dolphin {Belphinus Belphis). — This is the 

 stationary Dolphin of the coasts. One of its chief distinctive marks 

 consists in the widened double groove on the face of its palate. This 

 double groove is visible after the removal of the membrane of the 

 palate ; it does not exist in the B. Tethyos of Gervais. 



8. Dolphin of Tethys {Belphinus Tethyos). — Of this the 

 author knows only two individuals — one taken at the mouth of the 

 Orb (Herault) in 1852, the other in the vicinity of Port-Vendres 

 (Pyrenees orientales), of which the skull is in the collection of 

 Dr. Pinchinat. 



9. The I^q-rqlv al. {Rorquahis antiquorum). — This great Cetacean 

 exhibits the same characters in the Mediterranean as in the ocean ; 

 it is the Mysticetos of Aristotle. It is seen from time to time on 

 the French coasts, especially those of the Pyrenees orientales and the 

 Var. In 1862 a female, with her young, remained for more than a 

 month chiefly in the small bay of Paulilles, Port-Vendres, and 

 CoUioure. This was perhaps the Cetacean which, some months 

 later, ran on shore at the rocks of Borro, on the Spanish coast, and 

 was towed to Llanza, where M. Gervais saw it. 



Such Cetaceans rarely run aground on the sandy shores of Lan- 



