Specimen of Sowerhy^s Whale. 279 



Colorntion. 



Previous observers have described this animal as being 

 lighter beneath than above. This was distinctly not the case 

 in the specimen under consideration, which was of a uniform 

 black colour (with the slight exceptions shortly to be men- 

 tioned), the skin being very smooth and polished, as has been 

 described in other instances ; and the fishermen in charge 

 who had assisted in its capture informed us that at first there 

 "was a perceptible bluish tint on the skin in a good light. 

 But the most remarkable feature was the presence of a number 

 of curiously shaped marks sparsely distributed over the body, 

 but most numerous on the side and ventral surface. These 

 spots were most irregular in size and figure, some being 

 annular, others mere blotches, others again having the appear- 

 ance of splashes or smears varying in size up to that of a 

 man's hand. One peculiar mark in the dorsal region consisted 

 of several horizontal lines crossed by two others in a nearly 

 vertical direction. These curious markings, which seem 

 somewhat to resemble the markings on Grampus griseus, 

 have been frequently referred to, and seem to differ consider- 

 ably in different individuals ; but certainly in tiiis instance 

 there was very little resemblance to the " vermicular streaks " 

 described and figured by Sowerby *, and with which he stated 

 the sides of his specimen were " completely covered." We 

 have not attempted to reproduce these markings in the 

 accompanying figure. 



The colour was not appreciably lighter on the belly than on 

 the back; the anterior edges of the tail-flukes were grey, that 

 colour shading off gradually into the general black hue of the 

 rest of the tail. The lower jaw was grey in front, but became 

 distinctly Avhite near the posterior end of the slender part of 

 the jaw, the white colour extending some distance backwards 

 along the edge of the mouth ; the upper jaw was greyish, its 

 edges being white, the inside of the mouth black, and the 

 small tongue, which was only free at the point, flesh-coloured. 



The foetus (PI. XV. fig. 2) had been removed from its 

 membranes and the umbilical cord severed close to the 

 body ; it resembled the adult in its general characters, 

 but of course w^as much less robust in appearance ; the 

 grooves of the throat were well developed and the fins 

 were identical in position and form with those of the 

 parent, the most noteworthy point of difference being the 



* Sowerby, ' British Miscellany,' pi. i. 



