10 
INTRODUCTORY 
exists among the historians of this animal, it will only 
be necessary to state here, a few of their published 
opinions, on the supposed different species of the 
spermaceti whale. 
Brisson made no less than seven species of the 
cachalot, depending upon their dorsal fins, spout-holes, 
and form of their teeth. 
Linnaeus followed, and reduced them to four physeters, 
which he characterised by the form of the teeth of the 
lower jaw. 
Bonnaterre increased them again to six species, de- 
pending upon the peculiar modifications of the dorsal 
fins, or protuberances, and some small modifications in 
■c 
the form of their teeth. 
Lacapede next came, increasing the number over all 
his predecessors, making eight species, which he divided 
into three groups ; viz. the cachalots proper , which have 
one, or several dorsal eminences, and whose nostrils are 
placed at the extremity of the muzzle ; the physales 9 
which only differ from the cachalots, in having a small 
dorsal hump, and having the nostril situated at a little 
distance from the end of the snout ; and lastly, the phy- 
seters , which have a dorsal fin , and -whose nostrils are 
placed at the end, or near the end of the muzzle. The 
first of these groups (the cachalots) are subdivided. 
Desmarest , however, thought proper to add another to 
those of Lacapede, the characters of which he obtained 
from some Chinese drawing, upon the fidelity of which 
no dependence can of course be placed. 
So that it is quite evident to my mind, that Lacapede 
