PRELIMINARY LIST OF THE MAMMALS OF NEW YORK 297 
Lype locality. Spitzbergen. 
Distribution in New York. ‘This whale has been taken in New York 
waters only once, in 1822, 
Principal records. De Kay, “ The above discription was taken from a 
whale captured in the lower bay of New York in 1822. I had no 
Opportunity of determining its sex, but was informed that it was a 
female” (’42 p. 131). 
Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus Sperm whale 
1758 Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, Systema naturae. ed. 10. 1:75. 
1842 Physeter macrocephalus De Kay, Zoology of New York, Mam- 
malia. p. 128. 
Type locahty. North Atlantic. 
Distribution in New York. Formerly abundant along the coast but 
now nearly exterminated. 
frincipal records. De Kay: ‘Thesperm whale was formerly numerous 
on our coast where it is still occasionally captured” (’42, p. 129). 
Balaena cisarctica Cope Right whale 
1842 Lalaena mysticetus De Kay, Zoology of New York, Mammalia. 
p. 124. Not Balaena mysticetus Linnaeus. 
1865 Balaena cisarctica Cope, Acad. nat.sci. Phila. Proc. 17: 169. 
Type locality. ‘One [specimen] taken opposite this city [ Philadelphia, 
Pa.] three years ago, one cast ashore at Rehoboth bay, Del., and one in 
Mobjack bay, Va.” (Cope ’65 p. 168). 
Distribution in New York. Off the south coast of Long Island. 
Principal records. De Kay: “Along the southern coast of Long 
Island, whale boats are still kept in readiness, and on the appearance of 
a whale the people in the vicinity quickly assemble, and are soon in pur- 
suit of the animal” (’42 p. 125). Cope: “Some are known to enter 
New York harbor” (’65, p. 168). 
Mr Helme writes that ‘“‘ the right whale is frequently seen off the south 
coast of-Long Island in winter, and occasionally one is captured near 
the eastern end of the island.” 
Bison bison (Linnaeus) American bison 
1758 Bos bison Linnaeus, Systema naturae. ed. 10. 1:172. 
1842 Bison americanus De Kay, Zoology of New York, Mammalia. 
Pp. 110. 
1888 Bison bison Jordan, Manual of the vertebrate animals of the 
northern United States. ed.5. p. 337. 
