BRITISH MAMMALS 



Genus Ziphius. 



CUVIER'S WHALE. 



Ziphius cavirostris. 

 Plate 46. 



This rare beaked Whale, the only known species of the genus Ziphius^ 

 is distinguished by the single pair of pointed teeth inclining forwards at 

 the extreme end of the lower jaw. In the skeleton, only the first three 

 vertebrae of the neck are joined, the others being free. Until recently 

 very little was known of the appearance and colour of Cuvier's Whale. 

 It was first described by the scientist whose name it bears from a skull 

 obtained on the coast of Southern France, and a few more examples have 

 been obtained at long intervals in the Mediterranean and one in Sweden. 



The first British specimen was captured off Hamna Voe, Shetland, 

 in 1870, whose skull on being sent to Edinburgh was identified by Sir 

 William Turner. 



On July 1 8th, 191 5, a good example of a male Cuvier's Whale came 

 ashore at Fethard, Co. Wexford, Ireland, and, thanks to a recent Govern- 

 ment regulation whereby any whale stranded on our coasts is immediately 

 reported by the coastguard to the authorities at the British Museum of 

 Natural History, an exact model of the specimen was able to be made 

 on the spot, and the colours and measurements noted by Mr. Bishop. 



This whale measured i8 feet 2\ inches in total length. In colour 

 the area from the chin to the base of dorsal fin was greenish white, the 

 rest of the body slaty black. As usual in whales whose food consists 



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