SPERM-WHALE. 



CETACEA. 

 {ODONTOCETl.) 



415 



PUYHETERIDJE. 



Genus PiiYSETER (Linn., 1766). 



Generic Character. — Head enormously liirge, truncated ; no distinct dorsal - 

 tin. Edges of maxillary bones elevated, enclosing a hollow lia.sin in front of 

 the skull. Lower jaws united by a synipliysis of nearly half their whole 

 length. Teeth of upper jaw rudimentary or absent, those of lower jaw 

 numerous, large, and conical. 



SPERM-WHALE OR CACHELOT. 



Physeter macrocephalus (Linnaeus). 



Specific Character. — Black above, shaded to grey beneath. Vertebrre 

 49-50; ribs 10 pairs. Length of adult male 60 to 70 feet, female much 

 smaller. 



Physeter rmrrocephah'S, Linn.eus, Syst. Nat., L, 107(1766). 



Catadon ,, Lacki'J:i)E, Hist. Nat. des Get., t. 10 (1804). 



,, australis, WALL,"NewSperniWhale"(Sydney,1851). 



? Balaina macroccphala tripinna, Sibbald, Phal. Nov., t. 2. 

 ? Plujseter tursio, Linn^us, Syst. Nat., L, 107. 



The history of the Sperm-Whale or Cachelot has been 

 involved in much confusion, and several distinct species 

 have been discriminated by various writers. Of these the 

 most remarkable is the so-called " High-finned Cachelot," 

 of which two examples are said to have occurred on the 

 Scotch coast in the years 1687 and 1689, which were 

 described by Sir Robert Sibbald under the name of 

 Balcena mucrocephala tripinna. Tliese animals arc stated 



