144 
labourers in llie stune field, thinly scattered through ti' e 
land. These were the times when a Lady of rank and 
fortune was subjected to an accusation of insanity, f° r 
which the principal proof advanced was, that she had made 
a collection of Butterflies. 
But a wiser and more kindly spirit has prevailed ; and 
those ttdio neither know nor care to know the works o* 
skill and beauty which their Creator did not disdain to make, 
are yet at least found to respect the study; and the number 
of those who observe and labour is greatly increased. B 18 
from the latter circumstance that so many additions are con- 
tinually making to the catalogue of known, and especially 
our native animals. Gentlemen are found who will show s° 
much respect to the Naturalist or a Public Institution, as to 
preserve for them such rare specimens as may fall in their 
way ; and we are consequently less accustomed to hear 
the occurrence of rare or unknown Birds and Fishes, tb»t 
have been wondered at, and thrown aside. 
THE WHALE TRIBE. CETACEANS. 
BLACK OR LEADING WHALE. Delphinus metis- 
Fleming’s British Animals, p. 84. Phoeasna melas, Bell 8 
British Quadrupeds, p. 483. Delphinus deductor, Scores* 
by’s History ot the Arctic Regions. 
A specimen of this Whale was taken on the 29th 
March, 1842, on Looe Island; and another in the following 
year, on the mainland nearly opposite the same place. 
the former I had an opportunity of making a sketch, 
minute examination : which were published in the Anna 18 
of Natural History, vol. 9, p. 371, pi. 6. It was there re- 
marked that there could he no question of its being tb® 
species referred to in the British works named above; 
consequently that it was the Delphinus of Trail, D. globicep 8 
of Cuvier, and Globicephaius deductor of Jardine; h? 
whilst the descriptions given by these naturalists are sum' 
cienily minute and accurate to decide the species, they 1,1 
common with the accompanying figures have the niisfortu 11 ® 
to fail in some important particulars, which may lead 10 
error if it shall be found that a nearly allied species e£* stf ' 
The figure iu Mr. Bell’s work is confessedly taken • r 0,I J 
Cuvier; and though I have had no opportunity of consult 111 *’ 
the “ Ann. du Museum,” in which the paper of the g rea 
French Naturalist is contained, or the work on Cetacea 1 '^ 
by his brother, yet I think it fair to conclude that it is f 01 ' 
rectly copied. The singularity of position, however, 
to the tail, as thrown up over the back, and the attenu» tc 
