474 PROF. FLOWER ON THE DELPHINID^. [Nov. 20, 



is from the Cape of Good Hope, aud is about 4 feet long, with rather a 

 peculiar distribution of colours, the greater part of the surface being 

 black, but with very distinct "white markings beneath, consisting of a 

 transverse band in front of, and a triangular spot behind each of, the 

 pectoral fins ; aud of a longitudinal line on the belly, which separates 

 just beneath the dorsal fin into three equal forks, the central one of 

 which is continued in its direct course, while the lateral ones extend 

 obhquely up the sides." 



These colours are no longer to be distinguished upon the speci- 

 men. The dorsal fin is low and triangular, its base measuring 

 6| inches, its height 3, its anterior edge 5, and its posterior edge 

 4 inches ; the latter is nearly straight. The caudal fin is of a 

 crescentic form, not deeply excavated in the middle behind. The 

 pectoral fins are small, and rather ovate than falcate in form. 



Two skeletons referred to this species, both from the Cape, are 

 contained in the Leiden Museum, and there is one at Oxford ; there 

 are also a skeleton and four skulls at Paris ; but it is at present not 

 represented by osteological specimens in the British Museum. 



The vertebral formulae of these skeletons are as follows : — Leiden, 

 ]Sro 1— C. 7, D. 1 1 (two pairs of ribs probably lost), L. 18, C. 29 = 65. 

 Leiden, No. 2— C. 7, D. 13, L. 15, C. 30 = 65. Oxford— C. 7, D. 13, 

 L. & C. 46 = GG. Paris (according to Gervais), C. 7, D. 12, L. 17, 

 C. 26 = 62 (probably not complete). The skeletons appear all to 

 be those of rather young animals, and are all between 4 feet and 

 4 feet 2 mches long. The skulls vary in length from 270 to 293 

 millim. The numbers of the teeth of the different individuals are 

 ^, %, ?l, and ^. Of the four skulls in the Paris Museum now assigned 



2o' 26 29' oO *-' 



to this species, and which certainly appear alike, one has no locality ; 

 one is from the Cape and is marked " B. capensis, F. Cuvier, Dus- 

 sumier, 1827;" one is " Des mers de la Nouvelle Zelande, 1841, 

 Hombron ;" and the fourth from " Otago (Mr. Uutton), Voyage de 

 M. Filhol." 



As the skull remains concealed in the skin of the type of this 

 species, now in the British Museum, I do not know the reasons for 

 which these skeletons and skulls were originally referred to it, but, 

 judging by what can he seen of the teeth of thai (probably young) 

 individual, there seems no need to doubt the identification. 



In the 5Sth part of the ' Histoire Naturelle des Mammiferes,' 

 bearing the date of September, 1829, Tred. Cuvier describes and 

 figures the external characters of a Dolphin brought from the Cape 

 of Good Hope by M. Dussumier. In general form and size, and in 

 the characters of the dorsal fin, it bears a considerable resemblance 

 to Gray's D. heavisidii ; but its colour is said to be entirely black, 

 except a white spot (not shown in the figure) on each side. The 

 name of " Marsouin du Cap,'* Delphinus capensis, is assigned to it'. 

 I presume it is to this specimen that the skull in the Paris Museum 

 marked "D. cajjensis, F. Cuvier, Dussumier, 1827," but now 

 assigned to D. heavisidii, belongs. The same animal appears in 



^ This is not tlie D. capensis of Gray's ' Spicilegia Zoologica.' p. 2 (1828). 



