Hectoe. — On a Variety of Mesoplodon liectori. 87 



dilates to form a dental cavity, in which the tooth is lodged, its tip only 

 reaching to the level of the upper edge of the jaw. It occupied the cavity 

 loosely, but could not be removed without breaking the bone. The tooth 

 (figs. 3 and 4) is a very thin, hollow, conical shell, compressed, but not filled 

 with solid dentine as in previous specimens. The tip is smooth and enamelled. 

 The height is 1*2 inches; width, 1-0; and its thickness, 0-3. 



The tooth shows the specimen to have been a young animal, and this will 

 account for the slightly smaller size and difi'erent proportions of the jaw from 

 the type; and the posterior, instead of the terminal, position of the tooth shows 

 that probably several existed on each side, and that the dental characters in 

 this group of whales are not constant or sufficiently important to form the 

 basis of specific distinction. At the same time it is interesting to find that, even 

 in the young state, this whale has the compressed form of teeth and the same 

 mode of their arrangement which obtains in Berardius. to which genus it 

 was at first referred. '*' 



This specimen was found on the beach at Kaikoura, and forwarded to the 

 Museum by Mr. J. K W. Taylor. 



Art. XVI. — List of Seals, Whales, and Dol'pliins of New Tiealand. 

 By J. E, Gray, Ph.D., F.K.S., Hon. Mem. N.Z.Inst. 

 [Read before the Wellington PMlosopMcal Society, 6th August, 1873.] 

 The fauna of Xew Zealand, as regards marine mammalia, is extending, and 

 I have no doubt will be found to be much richer as they become more studied, 

 Eor example, we have not yet had the " Sulphur Bottom" or the " Trigger" of 

 ISTew Zealand whales, and there are other species mentioned as found in those 

 seas, but in such a manner as not to be able to be entered in scientific 

 catalogues. There are many more species recorded as inhabiting Australian 

 seas, which, no doubt, range as far as New Zealand, but I have only inserted 

 these on the authority of specimens. 



1. Stenorhynchus leftonyx. — The Sea Leopard, Gray, Cat. Seals and Whales, 



p. 16 ; Webb, Trans. KZ. Inst., II., p. 29 ; Fraser, 1. c, p. 33. 

 Habitat— New Zealand, Port Nicholson (F. Knox). 

 Skull in British Museum. [Skeleton in Colonial Museum] 



2. Arctocephalus cinereus. — The Grey Australian Fur Seal. Otaria cinerea, 



Perron and Le Sueur; Quoy and Gaimard, Yoy. Astrolabe, t. xii., xiii., 

 xiv. ; Hector, Trans. N.Z. Inst., IV., pi. 12, f 1 (skull) ; not Gray, 



* Trans. N.Z. Inst., Vol. 111., p. 108. 



C 



