Tate on the Porpoise. 177 



PHOCiENA MELAS. 



Specific character. — Head convex and rounded on the top, 

 truncated in front. Teeth conical and curved inwards at the 

 point, about twenty-four in each jaw. Pectoral swimmers long 

 and narrow. 



Synonyms. — Delphinus melas, Traill; Delphinus globiceps, 

 Cuvier ; Delphinus deductor, Sowerby ; Delphinus melas, 

 Fleming ; Globicephalus deductor, Jardine ; Phocsena melas, 

 Bell. 



The species was first distinctly described and named by Dr. 

 Traill in 1 809, to whom, and to Mr. Neill, we are indebted for 

 most of the information we possess of its habits and distribution. 

 Cuvier subsequently described it from a specimen found on the 

 coast of France, and named it " globiceps" from the shape of 

 the head. Dr. Traill's name, having the prior claim, ought to 

 be adopted. 



Most of the individuals stranded on the Northumbrian coast 

 were from fourteen to sixteen feet long ; the smallest was eight 

 feet; and the largest, whieh was a male, was eighteen feet nine 

 inches long, and ten feet in circumference in the thickest part, 

 a little behind the head, from which it tapered gradually towards 

 the tail. The head presented an extraordinary appearance, being 

 high in front, short, and subglobose, with the jaws short, having 

 an opening of only sixteen inches, the upper jaw being thickened, 

 as if padded, and projecting slightly over the under, which is 

 rounded in front. There were twenty-four conical, sharp and 

 curved teeth in each jaw; in other individuals, the number 

 varied from sixteen to twenty-four ; they were distant from each 

 and not opposite, so that when the mouth was closed they would 

 interlock. On the top of the head, eighteen inches from the 

 snout, was a single crescent-shaped blow-hole, with the horns 

 directed forward ; the eyes were small, and of a dark grey hue. 

 The pectoral swimmers were five feet long, narrow, and pointed, 

 and placed low down, two feet seven inches from the snout ; the 

 dorsal fin was cartilaginous, stiff, and relatively small, being 

 three feet long and fifteen inches high, and situated five feet 

 eight inches from the snout ; the tail fin was cordate, and had 

 a breadth of five feet two inches. The external skin was of a 

 deep black colour, smooth and shining, excepting in front of the 

 pectoral swimmers and along the belly, where the hue was paler, 

 as if the black colour had been partially discharged. So exactly 

 did this external skin resemble a modern india-rubber coat, 

 that we might readily imagine the animal to be enveloped in an 

 artificial waterproof covering, to enable it to range through the 

 deep unharmed by the watery element. A quantity of blubber 



B.N.C. VOL. III. N°. V. P 



