PART VI -MAMMALS. 



Order CETACEA. Cetaceans. 

 Family DELPHINLD^. The Dolphins. 

 Genus Delphinus. 

 Delphinus bairdii Dall. Baird's Dolphin. 



Genus Leucorhamphus. 

 Letjcorh-AMPHUS borealis (Peale) Gill. Right-whale Porpoise. 



Genus Lagenorhynchus. 

 Lagenorhynchus obliquidens Gill. Striped Dolphin. 



While returning from Attu Island to Unalashka I observed, in the vicinity of Amchi'tka Island 

 quite a number of Dolphins sporting about the vessel, as she was speeding at a lively rate over the, 

 water. These creatures were only about eight or nine feet in length and had numerous markings, 

 stripes or bars, along the sides and throat. These markings were two or three inches wide and 

 of a sulphur-yellow color, while the back and sides were bluish-black. 



Two or three persous ou the vessel declared they had seen the same species in the waters of 

 the Japan coast, and gave the name Japan 1 kdphins to those seen near Amchi'tka. I do not know 

 to what species they should be referred. They do not, however, occur about the eastern Aleutian 

 Islands. 



The Aleuts give the name A gamdhh chikh to a species of striped, or barred, Dolphin ; but to 

 which species the name should be referred I was not able to determine satisfactorily to myself. 



Genus Orca. 



Orca atra Cope. Pacific Killer. 



The "Killer" Whale is very abundant in the waters of the Aleutian Islands and the Pribylof 

 Group, occurring less plentifully in the more northern portions of Bering Sea. 



At Saint Michael's I have but once seen them in the small bay ; this instance occurring when 

 the surface of the water was covered with ice, the only break being a place of several hundred 

 feet in length and only a few rods wide. They had come from the sea and appeared in this 

 opening. They remained several hours and apparently disliked to dive again under the strip of 

 ice, over half a mile in width, between the break and the open sea. Many of the natives saw these 

 creatures, but would not attempt their capture, asserting that the "Killers" would cut their canoes 

 in two with their fins and then swallow the occupant of the kaiuk. 



In the vicinity of Saint Paul's and Saint George's Islands this Dolphin commits great depre- 

 dations among the smaller individuals of the Fur Seals, repairing to those islands to breed. The 

 Killer is certainly most numerous in the neighborhood of Kyska Island, for, on the north of that 



197 



