158 DJiLPUISID^. 



144. Flatanista gangetica. 



Delphtnua apud Lebeck. — Eoxbdrgh, Asiat. Eesearches, VII., pi. 5. — • 

 Blyth, Cat. 286. — D. rostratus, Shaw. — Kgd. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 

 1852, pi. v., &c. — Hardwicke, HI. Ind. Zool. fig. — Susd, Sons, Susd, H. 

 — Siisiik or Sishuk, Bengal. — Sisumai; Sanscr. 



The Gangetic Poepoise. 



Descr. — Teeth 28 on each side, 29 below, total 114; one account gives 

 120. Spiracle linear ; aperture of ears small, semi-lunar ; eje excessively 

 minute, rudimentary ; of a dark plumbous color ; when old, with some 

 lighter spots here and there ; shining pearl gray when dry. 



Length of one 6^ feet ; paddle 9 inches by 7 ; tail 14 ; eye 1 to 1 J line 

 in diameter. One, 6 feet long had the rostrum 17^ inches long from the 

 gape ; whilst another 7 feet long, had the rostrum only 13^ inches. Both 

 these are beUeved to be females ; and Mr. Blyth, Cat. Mammalia, p. 92, 

 note, states that " certain discrepancies of proportion which I had sus- 

 pected to indicate sexual diversity may yet prove to be of specifical import- 

 tance." 



This remarkable porpoise is found in the Ganges and its larger tribu- 

 taries, Jumna, Gogra, &c., up nearly to the hills, most abundant perhaps in 

 the middle portion or lower third ; also in the Berampooter. I am not 

 aware of it being found in the Nerbudda, or in any of the large rivers of 

 the South of India. A nearly aUied species from the Indus and its 

 tributaries has been discriminated by Blyth. The Gangetic porpoise is 

 very abundant in some locaUties, large shoals of them may be seen sport- 

 ing near most of the large towns on the Ganges, rising to the surface to 

 take an inspiration, and dipping down again in a way that is popularly 

 called rolling, and gives an impression of their back being much rounded. 

 I have always found this dolphin most abundant at the junction of rivers 

 with the main body of the Ganges, as it is here that fishes also abound 

 most. I do not think that it ever goes out to sea as conjectured in Erich- 

 son's paper, on Dr. Cantor's authority. It feeds on fishes chiefly, also on 

 Crustacea, molluscs (cuttle-fish), &c. In one case recorded, some grains of 

 paddy and some small shells alone were found in the stomach ; but I should 

 imagine that these came from some bird or animal which the porpoise 

 had picked up. They are rarely taken by fishermen. Two, a male and 

 a female, are recorded by McLeUand, to have been killed by the explosion 



