236 DR. J. VON HAAST ON ZIPHIUS NOV^-ZEALANDI^. [Apr. 6, 



of the same species, unless their greater bulk, or probably greater 

 speed, make up for this disadvantage. Of the males of Ziphius novce- 

 zealandice we know nothing at present ; but there is no doubt in my 

 mind that with them the teeth in front of the lower jaw are both 

 permanent and of larger size than those of the females, just in the 

 same manner as in other Ziphioid genera. Fortunately, however, 

 there is some evidence at hand, strengthening such a hypothesis. 

 Dr. Hector, in his account in the Transactions of the New-Zealand 

 Institute (on p. 164, vol. v.) of the skull of Epiodon chathamiensis, 

 obtained in the Chatham Islands, describes the teeth of this species 

 as follows : — " The lower jaw .... terminates in two short, stout, 

 slightly compressed teeth, 2 inches long and 4 in circumference, im- 

 planted in shallow sockets. The teeth have slight irregular striae, 

 and are worn down into two lateral facets divided by an acute ridge. 

 The position of the teeth when the jaws are closed is two inches 

 beyond the upper mandible ; and, unless they are applied against 

 callosities on the upper lip, it is difficult to conceive how they are 

 worn down to this acute form. "Weight of teeth 817 and 836 grains." 

 " Two teeth of similar form, taken from the jaw of a whale cast up 

 on the Manawatu beach, have their facets forming an obtuse 

 pyramidical tip." Of this last pair of teeth no weight is given ; but 

 it is evident from the drawing that they must be as heavy as the 

 former. The teeth of the females examined by me range from 62 to 

 200 grains. There is no doubt that the form and chief characteristic 

 features of the skull from the Chatham Islands described as Epiodon 

 chathamiensis and those of the two female whales secured by me 

 are almost identical, if we except the teeth, which in the former are 

 at least four times as heavy as in the latter. In my paper published 

 in the ' Proceedings' of this Society for 1876, p. 468, I pointed out 

 already that the skull of this Chatham-Island whale might have 

 belonged to the male of Epiodon 7iovce-sealandice, thus accounting 

 for the diiference. 



After having seen the two female animals stranded on our beach 

 scarred in such a remarkable manner, I am more than ever inclined 

 to this opinion. If the three specimens alluded to had been males, 

 it would be easy enough to understand that the wounds had been 

 inflicted during their fights in rutting-time, or for supremacy, as 

 this is the case with most terrestrial animals. However, the fact 

 that the wounds by which the oval scars were produced are mostly 

 in close proxim.ity to the pudendum, suggest forcibly that they have 

 been inflicted by male animals. 



"With respect to the external appearance of the different species of 

 other Ziphioid genera, such as Mesoplodon, Berardius, and Oulo- 

 don, of which several specimens, both male and female, have been ex- 

 amined by me, I may state that none of them had the least scar or 

 wound upon them. Of course this may be accounted for by the fact 

 that the teeth of most of these genera are situated so far backwards 

 that they could scarcely be used for the same mode of attack. Dr. 

 Hector, in the ' Transactions of the New-Zealand Institute' (p. 338, 

 vol. x.), gives an account of the capture of an adult male of Berar- 



