3^6 



WHALES ON THE YORKSHIRE COAST. 



out to sea beyond the possibility of recovery. From a sketch kindly 

 supphed by Miss Rose Smith, and some interesting particulars 

 furnished by Mr. Thomas Winson, there is not the slightest doubt 

 that the animal was Sowerby's Whale, probably a full-grown male. 



Sowerby's Whale has been met with, certainly three, possibly four, 

 times in Scotland ; twice in Ireland ; once on the English coast ; 

 seven times at various localities on the Continent, and once in the 

 United States. It is about i6 feet long, the beak long and pointed, 

 and the jaws armed with two very singular teeth placed one on each 

 side the lower jaAv; they are flattened, and the exposed portion, 

 somewhat triangular in form, projecting tusk- like outside the upper 

 lip when the mouth is closed ; no other visible teeth are present. The 

 colour is dark slate above, lighter on the sides, and almost white 

 below, the beak being a little lighter than the head; The flippers 

 are small, and the tail-fin without the notch usually observed in the 

 centre of that organ in other Cetaceans. 



GRAMPUS (ORCA GLADIATOR) IN THE HUMBER. 



By THOMAS BIRKS, 



H2dl. 



A Grampus {Orca gladiator) was captured on Whiston Ness, where 

 the rivers Ouse and Trent join and form the estuary of the Humber, 

 on November ist. It had been struck with a boat-hook the day 

 previous, but had broken away from its pursuers. When found it 

 was stranded on the Ness, but alive. The animal was brought to 

 Hull, and exhibited as a ' Zebra Whale ' in various places in the 

 town. It was disembowelled, and a foetus taken from it about 6 feet 

 long. This, however, which soon showed signs of decomposition, 

 was buried in a manure heap, from which the head was with 

 some difficulty recovered. The animal measured about 21 feet 

 long, but measurements of girth were not taken. The white 

 parts of the underside extended behind the pectoral fins almost to 

 the back, and two distinct grey 'saddle' marks were well defined on 

 each side behind the dorsal fin. 



Seeing no chance of this being acquired for the Hull or indeed 

 a Yorkshire museum, the writer communicated with Dr. Giinther, 

 who purchased it for the national collection at South Kensington, to 

 where it has now been forwarded. 



I think this is the first verified record of the occurrence of 

 O. gladiator in the Ouse or the Humber, most of the printed records 

 being referable to other species. 



[Although the species is already on record as occurring in the 

 Humber estuary, the Cetacea so seldom fall under the notice of 

 competent authorities, that authentic records are of great value. — Eds.] 



Naturalist. 



