BEAKED WHALE. 279 



able amount of oil, these Whales are now hunted to a large 

 extent. Although their ordinary colour is, as stated above, 

 blackish, in very old males it frequently fades to a yellowish 

 hue; those of intermediate age b:ing light brown. Frequently 

 the adult males separate themselves from the rest of the 

 "school," to lead a more or less solitary existence. 



THE BEAKED WHALES. GENUS MESOPLODON. 



Mesoplodon, Gervais, Ann. Sci. Nat. ser. 3, vol. xiv. p. 16 

 (1850). 



The Beaked Whales of this genus present the following 

 characteristics. Head produced into a long beak, supported 

 in the upper jaw by an el ngated solid mass of ivory-like 

 bone ; a single pointed and compressed tooth at each side of 

 the lower jaw, generally situated at some distance behind the 

 anterior extremity, and in one species attaining such an extra- 

 ordinary development as to prevent the two jaws being opened 

 to their i\3X\. extent. 



The genus is represented by a considerable number of 

 species, which are mainly characteristic of the warmer, and 

 especially the southern, seas, only one of them occasionally 

 visiting our shores. 



sowerby's whale, mesoplodon bidens. 



Physeter bidens , Sowerby, Brit. Miscell. p. i (1804). 

 Delphhms {Heterodon) sowerbiensis, Blainville, Nouv. Diet. 



d'Hist. Nat. vol. ix. p. 177 (181 7). 

 Delphinus sowerbyi, Desmarest, Mammalogie, p. 521 (1822). 

 Heterodon sowerbyi. Lesson, Man. Mamm. p. 419 (1827). 

 Diodon sowerbi, Hamilton, in Jardine's Naturalist's Library 



Mamm. vol. viii. p. 192 (1839). 

 Diodon sowerbce. Bell, British Quadrupeds, p. 497 (1837). 



