98 Transactions. — Zoology. 



in the Australian Musenm, obtained in 1851 in Port Jackson, of wbich a 

 description was given in "Walls' History of the New Sperm Whale, 1851, 

 Bvo, T. 2, p. 37 (skeleton), but which, according to KrefFt, was entirely written 

 by the eminent zoologist W. Sharpe MacLeay (see British Museum Catalogue of 

 Seals and Whales, page 218, and seq.). 



The specimen under review was found by some fishermen amongst the 

 rocks, on the 17th August of this year, when it tried in vain to regain the 

 sea, but was easily secured. 



As Mr. Potts was kind enough to send immediately a telegi-am from 

 Lyttelton, the taxidermist of the Museum, Mr. F. R. Fuller, could at once 

 proceed to the spot, by which not only all necessary measurements were 

 secured before the animal was cut into for procuring the oil, but also both 

 skin and skeleton were obtained in perfect order. 



The animal on examination proved to be a female, apparently full grown, 

 and had the following dimensions : — 

 Total length 



Breadth of tail ... 



Around body behind pectoral fins 



5> jj 55 ®y® 



„ ,, before dorsal fin 

 Pectoral fin — length 



,, „ breadth 

 Colour — black, belly greyish white. 



There is only one single valve covering the blow-holes, the slit being 

 2 inches long, of which 1 '5 inches lie on the left and -5 inch on the right side 

 of the top of the head. The skin surrounding the valve is raised in a lunate 

 form, rather conspicuously on the left side, open posteriorly. The left side of 

 the valve is far more developed and stronger than the I'ight one. The animal, 

 however, was unfortunately too much disfigured on the top of the head, by 

 blows or other causes, so that it was impossible to ascertain if the small 

 channel of the right blow-hole had an opening of its own, so that it could throw 

 out a separate jet of water, or, what is more likely, could only add a mimite 

 quantity to the main jet thi-own out by the left blow-hole, of which more anon. 

 The form of the dorsal fin could also not be well ascertained, as the hind edge, 

 which is described by MacLeay as nearly perpendicular and concave, had, in 

 our specimen, been torn away previously, the woimd being well scarred. 



The small eyes situated so low down the broad head, the pectoral fins of 

 such inconsiderable size, the small mouth being placed like that of a shark, well 

 back, give to this animal a strange appearance. 



When first examining the anatomical characters of tlie skull, it at once 

 became evident that if not identical with Eapliysetes yrayli, it woidd be closely 

 allied to it. 



... 7 



feet 2 inches. 



... 1 





4-5 





... 4 





2-5 





... 3 





3 





... 3 





10 





.. 





9 





... 





3-75 





