CETACEA. 



Preyions to joining the Eirst Expedition to Western Yunnan, my attention had 

 been for some time directed to the investigation of the Cetacea inhabiting the 

 rivers of India and Bm'ma. The long time necessarily occupied by the Expedition 

 in proceeding up that splendid river, the Irawady, which has been appropriately 

 designated the Ehine of the East, afforded me a fitting opportunity of observing 

 the dolphin which was known to inhabit its waters, but which was unknown to 

 science. 



On that occasion I was enabled to determine that it was a round-headed species, 

 nearly allied to the globose-headed dolphin of the estuary streams of the Ganges, 

 and shortly afterwards, through the exertions of my fellow-traveller. Captain 

 Bowers, I became possessed of a specimen. On the Second Expedition to the same 

 region, I was enabled to supplement my previous observations on the habits of the 

 animal, and by the assistance of the Political Agent at Bhamo, Captain Cooke, to 

 obtain two other specimens. 



In the interval between these two Expeditions, I succeeded in procuring three 

 specimens of Orcella brevirostris, Owen, and numerous examples of JPlatanista 

 gangetica, Lebeck, which enabled me to work out the anatomy of these two 

 dolphins, and I have considered it desirable to incorporate the results in this volume 

 alongside of Orcella fluminalis, Andr., instead of publishing them in a separate? 

 form. Moreover, it is of importance that the anatomy of O. hrevirostris should be 

 here given, because I have not had sufficient materials to work out the soft 

 anatomy of O . fluminalis ; but the two species are so nearly allied that the anatomy 

 of the one, in all ts essentials, doubtless corresponds to that of the other. 



