PYGMY SPERM WHALE PIERS. 103 



(P. communis), which is particularly savoury, resembling some- 

 what a very tender moosesteak. 



Colour. — Upper parts and sides, including interior of blowhole, 

 outside of pectoral and upper side of flukes, black. Underparts 

 whitish or greyish white. Inside of mouth pink; teeth white. 



Skull- — As crania of the Pygmy Sperm Whale are seldom met 

 with in collections, particularly in America, a rather full descrip- 

 tion of that part of the animal will probably be of interest. The 

 skull of Kogia and that of the allied Physeter are thought to be 

 perhaps the most modified from the ordinary type of cranium in 

 the whole mammalian class. The skull of the present specimen 

 is short, broad, and with the exception of the mandible, massive; 

 and crests are stronglj' developed. The rostrum, from in front 

 of the maxillary notches, forms about an equilateral triangle, 

 the lateral margins being somewhat concave anteriorly and 

 slightly convex posteriorly. The length of rostrum to a line 

 drawn between the bases of the deep maxillary notches, is con- 

 tained in the total length of skull, 1.91 times (52.3 per cent.). 

 The greatest breadth of the skull (post-orbitally) is contained in 

 the total length, 1 .23 times (81 .6 per cent.). 



Viewed dorsally the skull is very strongly asymmetrical along 

 the median posterior region, whereas the lateral outlines are 

 symmetrical. The lack of symmetry is chiefly noticeable in 

 (a) the median crest, (b) the intermaxillae, and (c) the nares. 

 We find the prominent median crest strongly twisted to the left 

 as it proceeds from the vertex anteriorly until it reaches the 

 nares; the left intermaxilla anteriorily is widened, and the right 

 one narrowed, whereas posteriorly the right one is widened and 

 passes back to the vertex and the left one is short. The left 

 naris is very much the larger one, its diameter being about 33^ rd 

 times that of the right one; and although the septem is mesially 

 situated, the disproportion between the magnitude of the two 

 openings give the nares the appearance of being towards the left 

 side. A prominent horse-shoe shaped crest proceeds from one 

 maxillary notch, around to the vertex, and thence to the other 

 notch. 



Examined more minutely, the two intermaxillae show great 

 lack of symmetry, more particularly in the posterior parts. Both 

 widen posteriorly, but in different degrees, and the right one is 

 much the longer. The right one is anteriorly the narrower, but 

 from the small right naris backward it is considerably widened. 



Pros. & Than . N. 8.. Inst. Sci..'.Vol . XV. Trans. 3. 



