160 DELPHINIDiE. 



146. Globicephalus indicus. 



Blyth, Cat. 274.— J. A. S. XIX. 426.— XXI. 358. 

 The Indian Ca'ing Whale. 



Descr. — Of an imiform leaden black color, slightly paler beneath ; 

 similar in form and size to G. deductor of European seas, but the teeth 

 fewer and larger than in that species, being 6 or 7 above, 7 or 8 beneath. 



Length of an adult male 14 feet 2 inches ; ffippers 2 feet ; dorsal fin 2^ 

 feet long, 11 inches high ; breadth of tail flukes 3 feet. 



A shoal (schule or school of mariners) of this species was carried by a 

 current into the Salt-water lake, near Calcutta in July 1852, where Blyth 

 saw them, and procured two specimens. They were floundering about in 

 all directions in the shallow water, and groaning painfully. He was near 

 enough to decide that when spouting, no jet of water was thrown up, 

 only aqueous particles as from a wet syringe ; this was whilst the spiracle 

 was above water. 



Another of this species was killed in the Hoogly near Serampore, about 

 the same time of year. 



There are v.ery many species of this family now described, distributed 

 in numerous genera. One of the most remarkable is the Narwhal, or 

 Sea-unicorn, Monodon monoceros, L., the long ivory tusk of which is 

 grooved spirally and directed forwards. The germs of two tusks exist, 

 but only one is developed, usually the left. 



The Cachalots, or Sperm whales, constitute the sub-family Catodontinte. 

 They have an enormous head with numerous teeth in the lower jaw, the 

 upper teeth being concealed in the gums. The upper part of their huge 

 heads is cellular, and the cavities are fiUed with a fatty substance, becom- 

 ing hard when cool, known as spermaceti, for which these whales are chiefly 

 hunted. The substance called ambergris is a concretion found in their 

 intestines. 



Blyth, under Catodon macrocephalus, remarks, " occasionally hunted 

 at the entrance of the Bay of Bengal, within sight of Ceylon;" species, 

 doubtful however as identical with that inhabiting the Northern Seas. I 

 see that Professor Owen in the paper referred to (page 156), alludes to a 

 new species of this family from Mr. Elliot's collection, which is probably 

 the one referred to. He names it Physeto- (Eupht/setes) siimts. 



