Haast. — Xotes on Ziphius (Epiodon) — Goosi'-beaked Whale. 243 



Before giving a description of the external appearance of the specimen 

 under review, I wish to alhide to another female, 21 feet 6 inches long, of 

 the same species, stranded on May 15th, 1879, on the sea-beach near 

 Kaiapoi, and of which the skeleton was also secui'ed. 



This was, doubtless, a full-grown, aged animal, the terminal epiphyses 

 being so well anchylosed to the body of the vertebrae that even the line of 

 junction could be scarcely distinguished, while in the New Brighton speci- 

 men these discs were still unanchylosed, and detached themselves readily 

 during maceration. 



In form of the body, and colouration, this animal resembled in every 

 respect the New Brighton specimen. However, the two teeth existing at 

 the tip of the lower jaw could not be felt when passing the fingers over the 

 gums, and were only disclosed when making incisions. 



The teeth are the smallest of all those known to me, being 1*98 and 

 2 inches long, and only -46 of an inch broad. The left tooth weighs 66 

 and the right 62 grains. The flattened root is square, and somewhat con- 

 stricted a quarter of an inch above the base, after which the tooth expands, 

 being broadest about the middle. It then contracts rapidly, running out to 

 a sharp point. This is thus confirmatory evidence that the teeth, with 

 age, are absorbed, and disappear gradually below the gums ; although it is 

 possible that even below the gums they may still be of some use to the 

 animal. It is a peculiar character of the small teeth of the Kaiapoi 

 specimen that they should be so very thin, and terminate in a sharp point ; 

 and that the latter should be covered with real enamel, different from any 

 oberved upon the dentine in any other teeth of the same species. 



Eeturning to the first-mentioned specimen from the New Brighton 

 beach, of which the annexed sketch (PI. VIII.) gives a faithful representation, 

 it must strike us with astonishment to see the skin of this animal, a female, 

 so fearfully lacerated. The late taxidermist of the Museum, when giving 

 me some notes of the external appearance of what remained of the specimen 

 stranded in Lyttelton Harbour in July, 1872, informed me that the upper 

 portion was marked by numerous oval spots, 2-3 inches across, like the 

 skin of the leopard ; this, as I observed already, was the lower portion. 

 Moreover, he thought that the animal must have had fearful struggles 

 amongst the rocks, the skin appearing torn in all directions. These pecu- 

 liar oval spots were visible at the first glance on the skin of the New 

 Brighton specimen ; but when examining them more closely it at once 

 became clear that they were not natural, but were the scars of injuries the 

 animal had received during life-time at various periods. 



At the same time, the animal being also covered with a number of 

 seamed scars, running in all dii'ections, theii' form and regularity proved 



