DR AN: SA. Cr Ph. O-NS 
OF 
PEE “7pO 0) EO Gal CA I> SO Cl by Exe 
I. On the External Characters of two Species of British Dolphins (Delphinus delphis, 
Linn., and Delphinus tursio, Fabr.). By Wititam Henry Fiowser, LL.D., 
PES. PAS. &C. 
Received May 6th, read May 6th, 1879. 
[Pate I. ] 
IT is somewhat remarkable that no really adequate figure of so well known an animal 
as the Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis, Linn.) is to be found in any zoological 
publication. The best with which I am acquainted is one given by Reinhardt 
(“ Notits om en paa Ostkysten af Jylland fanget Delphinus delphis,” in ‘ Naturh. Fore- 
nings Vidensk. Meddelelser,’ Nos. 10, 11, 1866), from an animal 5 feet 4 inches long, 
taken near Grenaa, on the Jutland shore of the Cattegat in November 1865. This 
figure, however, is not coloured, and wants the details of the markings seen in the 
specimen to be described presently. 
Perhaps the next best figure, and, indeed, in some respects superior, is that given in 
the illustrated edition of Cuvier’s ‘ Régne Animal, which is stated to be “ d'aprés une 
peinture originale de Maréchal faisant partie des vélins du Museum.” The figures in 
the volume on Cetacea in the ‘Naturalists’ Library,’ by Dr. Hamilton, and in Bell’s 
‘ British Quadrupeds,’ are apparently founded on this, though in the latter the tail is 
differently formed, the gradations of colour are badly given, and the whole creature 
has too thick and clumsy an appearance. Klein’s figure (Hist. Piscium Naturalis, 
ii. 1741) professes to be original, from an animal 9 feet 2 inches (Rhenish) in length, 
in which case it could not have been D. delphis, but was more probably D. tursio, 
as surmised by Cuvier. It is reproduced by Bonnaterre (Cétologie, 1789) and by 
yp VOU. XL—PART 1. No. 1.—January, 1880. B 
