590 



PLATA^'ISTID.^. 



ti'iaugular, fan-shaped ; eye very miuute, rudimentary, without a 

 crystalline lens ; blowhole longitudinal, linear. A small caecum. 

 No pelvic bones. 



Teeth rather large, conical, circular in section, and sharp-pointed 

 in the young, gradually becoming worn down and acquiring enlarged 



Fig. \i)o. — iSkuU of Plalanista i/aii(/ctica, joung. (Copied from Stenidale.) 



flattened roots. Symphysis one half (in males) to two thirds (lu 

 old females) the length of the mandible, the teeth on the two sides 

 in the anterior part of the rostrum and mandible being so close 

 together as almost to touch. Proximal portion of maxillae bearing 

 very high, longitudinal, incurved bony crests, which bend over and 

 almost meet above. Zygomatic process of squamosal very broad. 

 Vertebrae : C. 7, D. 10-11, L. 8-7, C. 26=51. 



A full account of the anatomy, distribution, and habits of the 

 only member of this genus has been given by Anderson. 



397. Platanista gangetica. The Gangetic Dolpldn. 



Delphiuus gangeticus, Leheck, Neue Schv. Ges. nat. Freunde Berl. 

 m, p. 1^80 (1801) : Hoa-bun/h, As. Ses. vii, p. 170, pi. v (1801). 



Platanista gangetica, Grai/ i^- Ilardw. III. lad. Zool. ii, pi. xxiv ; 

 Eschricht (translated by Wallich), A. 31 N. H. (2) ix, pp. 1(51, 279, 

 X)ls. v-vii ; Bbjth, Cat. p. 92 ; Jerdon, Mam. p. 159 ; Anderson, 

 A?i. Zool. lies. p. 417, pis. xxv, &c. ; W. Sclater, Cat. p. 315. 



Platanista indi, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxviii, p. 493 ; id. Cat. p. 92 ; 

 Jerdon, Mam. p. 159. 



Si'is, Siisii, II. ; Sihiik, Sishiik, Beng. ; Sist'onar, Sans. ; Bhukm, SiUisar, 

 Sind. ; Iliho, Seho, Assam ; Jfuh, Sylhet. 



gjj Rostrum much shorter in males than in females. Teeth about 

 35 on eacli side, generally rather more below than above. 

 Colour blackish throughout. 



