516 Storer on the 
fishermen to grease their masts with; and is also by 
many of them considered a valuable application in 
cases of sprains and bruises. To the kind attentions 
of Capt. Blanchard, I am indebted for a fine male 
specimen of this species, which he harpooned in 
Boston Bay, early in July. It presents the following 
appearances : 
The body is oval; its whole surface a fine, un- 
yielding, granulated cuticle, covered with a thick 
adhesive mucus ; back, dark gray. Abdomen nearly 
white; the right side of the body rather darker than 
the left; both sides of a dirty white color, with sil- 
very reflections. Length 54 inches; depth across, 
from the middle of the pectorals, two and a half feet ; 
-from the top of the dorsal to the extremity of the 
anal fin, six and a half feet. Weight about 200 
pounds. Length of the head, from. the tip of the 
snout to the base of the pectoral fin, 17 inches; 
flattened over the snout, which is obtuse, and pro- 
jecting about an inch in front of the upper jaw. 
Eyes rather large, convex, very moveable. in their 
orbits ; pupils black ; irides a dark brown, encircled 
within by a dividi; ring; larger diameter of f the 
eyes, 24 inches; smaller diameter, 2 inches. ON : 
trils double, just in front of the eyes. Mouth small. 
Jaws armed with a broad bony plate, sharp at the 
edges. Upon the top of the head, an arched ridge 
commences on a line with the anterior angle of the 
eyes, and is continued to a line above the origin of 
the pectorals, then a straight line is continued to the 
dorsal fin. ‘The sides of the head project out from 
the body quite prominently over the eyes to the 
