212 PEOFESSOE FLOWEE ON THE EECENT ZIPHIOID WHALES. 



donation, a skull of " Mesoplodon sowerhyensis " is mentioned as presented by Stephen 

 C Martin, but without any further details. 



Berakdius, Duvernoy. 



Upper ends of the praemaxillse nearly symmetrical, moderately elevated, very slightly 

 expanded, and not curved forwards over the nares. Nasals broad, massive, and rounded, 

 of nearly equal size, forming the vertex of the skull, flattened in front, most prominent 

 in the middle line. Anteorbital notch distinct. Rostrum long and narrow. Mesethmoid 

 only partially ossified. Small rugous eminences on the outer edge of the upper surface 

 of the maxillae at base of rostrum. 



Two moderate-sized, compressed, pointed teeth on each side of the symphysis of the 

 mandible, with their apices directed forwards, the anterior being the larger oi the two, 

 and directed forwards'. 



History of Berardius amouxi^. 



The genus Berardius was founded by Duvernoy' upon a skull received at the Museum 

 of Paris in 1846, having been obtained from an animal stranded in Akaroa Harbour, 

 Banks Peninsula, New Zealand. The following brief description of the animal, and 

 the circumstances attending its capture, was supplied by M. Arnoux, surgeon to the 

 corvette ' Rhin,' commanded by Captain Berard, by whom the skull was presented to 

 the Museum. 



" Get animal vint echouer, sur la cote, dans le port d'Akaroa Des habitants 



anglais, voisins de ce lieu, le tuerent a coups de lance lis en retirerent trois 



barils de graisse. La corvette ' le Rhin ' rentra dans le port d'Akaroa trois ou quatre 

 jours apres cet evenement . . . . Je m'empressai d'aller voir les restes de cet animal, et 



je m'emparai de la tete et d'un aileron L'animal vivant avait 32 pieds anglais de 



longueur totale; il etait pourvu d'une nageoire dorsale assez etendue pi-ccedee d'une 

 bosse assez considerable. Sa couleur etait entierement noire, sauf une partie grisatre 

 claire vers les organes genitaux : c'etait un male." 



No portion of the animal except the skull was brought to the Museum. Duvernoy's 

 description of this is accompanied by a figure of the upper surface of the cranium, of 

 the mandible, and a side view of one of the teeth*. 



' In the specimen in the Wellington Museum the second tooth does not seem to be developed. See Trans. 

 New-Zealand Institute, vol. iii. pis. 13 & 14, p. 129. This, together with the circumstances mentioned with 

 respect to the teeth of different species of Mesophdon, shows that the diagnoses of the genera of Ziphioids from 

 the teeth alone, relied upon by some authors, as Fischer, are insufficient. 



' Spelt arnuxii by Duvernoy, amouai and arnouxii by other authors. 



• " Memoire sur les caracteres osteologiques des genres nouveaux ou des especes nouvelles de Cetaces vivants 

 ou fossiles." (Annales des Sciences NaturcUes, 3" serie, Zoologie, tome xv. 1851, pp. 1-71.) 



' Loc. cit. pi. 1. 



