7126 Cetacea. 



I had much trouble in securing our two skeletons of this fine cetal. 

 The animals were floundering about in all directions in the shallow 

 water, and groaning painfully (vide ' Journal of the Asiatic Society,' 

 vol. xix. p. 426). From what I afterwards learned, there must originally 

 have been several dozens of them, which the natives towed off into 

 the river as they died, having no notion of extracting oil from their 

 carcases. The weather was terrifically hot ; but I succeeded the first 

 day in securing two pairs of the largest, male and female, and had 

 them safely tied up towards evening for operations on the day following. 

 They were all cut adrift during the night ; and the work had to be 

 begun again ; and I considered myself fortunate in succeeding so well 

 as I did in obtaining two perfect skeletons for the Society's Museum. 



There is a Globicephalus also in the China seas, of which a descrip- 

 tion, with details of its anatomy, is published in the ' Chinese Reposi- 

 tory ' for January, 1833, p. 411. The specimen (a male) was taken 

 near Leu-chen ; and, though designated G. Rissii by its describer, is 

 probably a distinct species. Colour black above, lighter on the belly. 

 Length 9f feet. " Head 18 inches long, and average circumference 

 3 feet. There were only five blunt and eroded teeth in the lower jaw. 

 The dorsal fin was triangular and almost immoveable, 15 inches long; 

 pectorals 14 inches; and all remarkable for their firmness and strength." 

 " This species does not spout a jet, though their breathing is distinctly 

 heard at a short distance. They swim near the surface ; and we had 

 several opportunities of observing their habits during the voyage. The 

 sailors term them cow-fish." 



Another small cetal of which we possess a stuffed specimen is that 

 described as Delphinus perniger, Elliott (Journal of the Asiatic Society, 

 vol. xvii. 250), from the Bay of Bengal ; the species distinct from 

 any of those described by Dr. Gray, and having the teeth proportion- 

 ally large. 



Of other cetaceous remains we have the Narwhal tusk presented 

 by Mr. Lumsden (Asiatic Researches, vol. xiv. Appendix), the skulls 

 recorded in the * Journal of the Asiatic Society,' vol. viii, p. 969, from 

 Greenland, and the two skeletons from Norway (Journal of the Asiatic 

 Society, vol. xv. ; Proc. vol. ix). Also two skulls of Steno rostratus of 

 Cuvier ; one of an animal taken near the Nicobar Islands, the other 

 from the Red Sea, and a skull which seems to be that of S. attenuatus 

 of Gray (Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Erebus and Terror, 

 Cetacea, pi. 28), being probably that mentioned of " a dolphin found 

 near the Isle of France," (Asiatic Researches, vol. xii. ; Appendix, 

 vol. xxiv). Lower jaw 14 inches. Teeth ^\. Another lower jaw. 



