1880.] DR. J. VON HAAST ON ZIPHIUS NOV^-ZEALANDI^. 237 



dimarnouxi at the entrance of Wellington Harbour on January 1'^ 

 1877, from which it appears that "the teeth did not penetrate the 

 gums nor could their position be discovered till deep incisions were 

 made This leads me to conclude that the male of this species 

 cannot use the teeth in the same manner as Ziphiu, novcB-zeZndZ 

 does._ Thus this species of Ziphioid Whale, 4 for as our observa- 

 tions in New Zealand go, stands apart in this strange habit of Hfe 

 bj which, so far as we know at present, both young and aged females 



poss ble ff'JJn r f° l^^^^J^"^ '"'^king these savage attacks 

 possible. It will be ot some interest to obtain a male of the same 

 species, ni order to ascertain if it is also covered with simikr 



The outlines of the right side of the animal were drawn from careful 

 measurements, and the oval and seamed scars conscientiously copied 

 from nature by Mr. T. S. Cousins. ^ P 



Finally I should like to make a i^v, observations on the nomencla- 

 ture and the changes proposed. There is no doubt that the generic 

 n&meEpiodon must give way to Ziphius ; but I think it rathtr nre- 

 mature to follow Dr. Hector's example and to merge ot New- 

 Zealand species in the European Ziphius cavirostris of Cuvier till 

 we possess some more detailed accounts of the form, colour 'and 

 anatomical structure of the different species of Ziphius desc'rib d 

 under various names from other countries. si-iioeu 



For instance, we know already that the Epiodon australis of Bur- 

 nieister had a light ash-colour ("ceniza clara"), that it was darker on 

 the back lighter on the belly, and, moreover/ that its forehead was 

 not swollen. Epiodon desmarestii, according to Risso, is steel-gr^y 

 with numerous irregular white streaks, beneath white, head^ not 

 swollen, ending ui a long nose. Consequently there is considerable 

 difference in the appearance of both these well-describedsDedes 

 when compared with the New-Zealand Ziphius-^ difference which 

 certainly is of some specific value, and ought not to be set as'de w h- 

 out good cause being shown to the contrary. 



EXPLAJSTATION OF PLATE XXIII. 



Sketchof female Z.>^i;,s novm-zealandm, from the specimen stranded at New 

 Brighton, New Zealand, November 17, 1878; reduced! ' 



A. Dorsal fin. B. Vent. C. Pudendum. D. Gular fold. 



