PHOCENA MELAS. 151 



Phocsena melas. 



Phoccena melas, Bell, Brit. Quad. 

 Phocmna globiceps, F. Cdviek, Hiat. Nat. Cet. 

 Delphinus globiceps, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 777. 

 Delphinus deductor, Scoresby. 

 Round-headed Porpoise or Caaing Whale. 



Description. — The head is short and round, with the fore- 

 head remarkably convex and prominent; upper jaw pro- 

 jecting a little beyond the lower ; teeth conical, sharp, a 

 little bent, varying in number with the age of the animal, 

 generally from eighteen to twenty-six in each jaw ; eyes 

 very small ; the blow-hole single, placed in a hollow to- 

 wards the back of the head, crescent -shaped, the horns 

 directed forwards. The dorsal fin is 4 feet long, and 15 

 inches high, placed about the middle of the body; pec- 

 torals narrow and elongated, more than in any other 

 known cetaceous animal, being upwards of 5 feet in length, 

 and only 1 foot 6 inches broad; caudal fin about 5 feet broad, 

 deeply divided in the middle. The general form of the 

 body is rather elongated, tapering towards the tail. The 

 colour of the whole animal rich deep black, except a white 

 band extending from the throat to the vent. Skin very 

 smooth, shining like oiled silk. 



Length, from 16 to 24 feet. 



Goes rn herds of from 100 to more than 1000 indi- 

 viduals, the whole of which are sometimes captured when 

 one of them happens to be cast ashore, from their habit of 

 following each other. Their favourite food appears to be 

 the cuttle-fish. 



Is common around the Orkneys and other Scotch Islands, 

 the North of Ireland, Iceland, and the North Sea in 

 general. Is sometimes taken on the north coast of France, 

 Said by Eisso to visit the Mediterranean and the shores of 

 Nice yearly in summer. 



