The Ziphius Bowerhyi. 
49 
XII. — Notice op the Capture of Ziphius Sowerbyi. 
By William Andrews, Esq. 
[ReadJune 27, 1870.] 
On the 8tli of April, 1867, I had the honour of submitting to the 
Academy a notice of the capture in 1864 of the very rare Cetacean 
J Ziphius Sowerbyi" — the first ever recorded as occurring on the 
Iri sh coast : one only having been previously obtained on the coasts 
of the British Isles. I mentioned that the first specimen whose cap- 
ture was recorded was taken in Elginshire, in the year 1800, and 
wa s then noticed as new to science, having been named by Sowerby, 
to whom the head and drawings of the animal were sent, as Phy- 
se ter bidens, from the characteristic feature of its possessing only two 
t eeth, one on each side of the lower jaw. 
This remarkable animal, to which Cuvier gave the generic name 
Ziphius, considering it to be a relic of a past creation, had hitherto 
been only found in the fossil state. It was not until de Blainville 
saw, in the Museum at Oxford, the head and jaws of that taken on 
the coast of Elginshire, that it was detected to be also a recent genus. 
I have now the pleasure of recording the capture of another speci- 
men, in the same bay, Brandon, coast of Kerry, and nearly opposite 
to the shore where the previous specimen was taken in 1864. It 
was stranded near Corrignakilla rock (Rock of the Church), in Brandon 
Bay, on the 31st of May last, but unfortunately was much mutilated 
by the fishermen, who considered it to be a porpoise, before I received 
intimation of the circumstance. Through- the kind attention of my 
friend, Dr. Busteed, of Castlegregory, the upper and lower jaws, 
with the teeth perfect, back portions of the head — the vertebrae, 
sternum, scapulae, and pectoral fins have been secured, and portions 
of the dorsal fin correctly traced. 
The capture of so rare a Cetacean, a second time in the same bay, 
is most remarkable, and being both males, it is not improbable that 
the females may be on the same coast. I have, therefore, given di- 
rections that early intelligencQ should be sent to me, in the event of 
another being stranded. 
This second occurrence, on the coast of Ireland, is a most remark- 
able feature in zoological discovery ; yet I feel disposed to think that 
others may have been similarly cast ashore, and have been lost to 
science, from the want of knowledge of those who may have met 
such cast-aways. 
The animal was supposed to be seventeen feet in length. 
R. I. A. PROC VOL. I., SER. II., SCIENCE. 
H 
