1861.] dr. j. e. gray on a new pilot-whale. 309 



2. Notice of a New Species of Pilot-Whale (Globio- 



CEPHALUS), from THE CoAST OF DORSETSHIRE. By Dr. J. 



E. Gray, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S., etc. 



In 1853 the British Museum received the skull of a Cetacean 

 which was dredged up at Bridport, on the coast of Dorsetshire, from 

 the Rev. John Beecham, of the Wesleyan Mission Board. It is evi- 

 dently a species of Globiocephalus ; but on comparing it with the 

 skull of G. svineval, the Common Pilot- Whale, and other species of 

 Globiocephalus which have come under my observation, it appears to 

 be quite distinct from them, and, as I believe, of a species that has 

 not before been noticed. 



It is evidently the skull of a large animal, being nearly as large as 

 that of the Common Pilot-Whale ; but it is at once distinguished 

 from all the other species of that genus by the convexity of the 

 palate and the oblong form of the nose of the skull, which is nearly 

 of the same width for the greater part of the length, and is regularly 

 rounded in front ; while in G. svineval it gradually converges from 

 the notch to the apex, and the palate is quite flat, especially in front; 

 and this is the case with all the other species of the genus. 



Globiocephalus incrassatus. Thick-palated Pilot-Whale. 

 Teeth t£ or ^~^; the nose of the skull attenuated, the side 



nearly parallel, and regularly rounded in front ; the palate very 

 convex, especially in the front ; the upper surface of the intermaxil- 

 lars rugose in front. 



Hab. British Seas, Bridport {Rev. J. Beecham, 1853). 



inches. 



Length of the skull 28 



' of the nose 14 



of the teeth 8 ? imperfect, worn at the end. 



Width of nose at the bridge 10 



of nose at the under . 9 j 



of skull at orbits. ... 17 



The back of the skull is higher and much narrower than in the 

 skull of G. svineval. (See woodcuts, pp. 310, 311.) 



This species does not appear to have been observed before as 

 British, and I do not find any indication of its having been de- 

 scribed as an exotic species. But it is so distinct both in the form 

 of the nose of the skull, in the width of the intermaxillary bones, 

 and more especially in the thickness and convexity of the palate of 

 the front part of the skull, from the species that has hitherto been 

 described, and the differences are so visible, that Mr. Edward Gerrard 

 selected it as a distinct species as soon as he saw it. 



It has been suggested that this may perhaps be the other sex of 

 the common Pilot- Whale {Globiocephalus svineval) ; but I can 

 scarcely think this probable, as I have seen many skulls of the latter, 

 and they have been all nearly similar and very unlike the one under 

 consideration; and I can scarcely believe that all I have seen could have 



