BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF WOODS HOLE AND VICINITY. 
7 8i 
Mcgaptera nodosa (Bonnaterre). Humpback 
whale. 
G. M. Allen, 1904, p. 2; True, 1904, p. 211. (No 
local records given by either writer.) 
Were formerly seen in Vineyard Sound; none for 
many years. — V. N. Edwards. 
Balcenoptera physalus (Linnseus). Common fin- 
back whale. 
G. M. Allen, 1904, p. 2; True, 1904, p. 107. (No 
local records given by either writer.) 
Whales of this species were formerly seen in 
Vineyard Sound, the last one in 1903 or 1904. — 
V. N. Edwards. Mr. Edwards states that two 
specimens, which were believed at the time to 
be sulphur-bottom whales (B. musculus), were 
taken many years ago during the month of May 
at Tuckernuck and Smiths Island, respect- 
ively. They had drifted ashore, after being 
shot. The skeleton of one of these was sent to 
the National Museum. Dr. True informs us 
that no sulphur-bottom whales have been re- 
ceived at the museum, but only specimens of 
the finback. He therefore regards the foregoing 
records as applying to the finback, and regards 
any records of the occurrence of the sulphur- 
bottom whale in the Woods Hole Region as 
being questionable. 
? Balcenoptera musculus (Linnseus). Sulphur-bot- 
tom whale. 
Goode, 1884, p. 27 ( Sibbaldius borealis)', G. M. 
Allen, 1904, p. 3 (no local records). 
According to Goode, Prof. Baird obtained a fine 
skeleton of this whale at Nantucket in 1875; 
but Mr. Edwards believes that reference is 
here made to one of the two specimens men- 
tioned in our discussion of the preceding spe- 
cies. As stated above, Dr. True questions the 
reliability of any records of the occurrance of 
the sulphur-bottom whale in local waters. 
Balcenoptera acuto-rostrata Lacepede. Little piked 
whale. 
G. M. Allen, 1904, p. 2 (no local records); True, 
1904, p. 192. 
Monomoy Point Lighthouse, July 11, 1883, a 
young specimen picked up and towed into 
Harwich port; the skeleton was received by 
the National Museum from the U. S. Fish 
Commission . — T rue . 
Family PhysETErid^S 
Physeter macrocephalus Linnseus. Sperm whale. 
Jackson, 1842, p. 137; Goode, 1884, p. 7; G. M. 
Allen, 1904, p. 3. 
“Vineyard Sound, about 15 miles from New Bed- 
ford, on the 29th of March, 1842”, a specimen 
Physeter macrocephalus — Continued. 
16 feet long. — Jackson. Siasconset, Nan- 
tucket, August 26, 1897, a young (apparently 
new born) specimen obtained by Dr. Harrison 
Allen and presented by him to the National 
Museum. — True. 
Mesoplodon bidens (Sowerby). 
G. M. Allen, 1904, p. 4. 
Nantucket, a specimen 16 feet in length. — Agas- 
siz. (Note in Proceedingsof the Boston Society 
of Natural History, November 6, 1867.) 
Family Deephinid^E. 
Globiocephala melas (Traill). Blackfish. 
Goode, 1884, p. 11; G. M. Allen, 1904, p. 5 (no 
local records); True, 1889, p. 133 (no local 
records). 
“Occasionally run ashore at Nantucket.”— 
Goode. Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay, 
appearing in schools; formerly common. — 
V. N. Edwards. Dr. True informs us that va- 
rious skeletons and skulls of this species, which 
had been collected by Mr. Edwards, were re- 
ceived by the National Museum in 1875, 1877, 
and 1884. Forty-five were driven ashore at 
Monument Beach, Buzzards Bay, on Septem- 
ber 30, 1907, these being only a fraction of the 
total school. 
Phoccena phoccena (Linnaeus). Puffing pig, snuffer, 
harbor porpoise, herring hog. 
True, 1889, p. 1 18 ( Phoccena communis; no local 
records); G. M. Allen, 1904, p. 6 (no local 
records). 
Taken in traps at Menemsha Bight, and formerly 
in Buzzards Bay (when trap fishing was al- 
lowed); ascends the “river ” as far as New Bed- 
ford, feeding upon alewives; appears in June 
and July. — V. N. Edwards. Dr. True informs 
us that odd bones, sent by Mr. Edwards from 
Woods Hole, are stored in the National Mu- 
seum (entered in 1874). 
Lagenorhynchus acutus (Gray). Striped porpoise, 
skunk porpoise. 
True, 1889, p. 85; G. M. Allen, 1904, p. 6 (no 
local records). 
Woods Hole (specimen figured by True, 1889, 
pi. xxiii). Dr. True likewise supplies us with 
records of specimens taken in 1888 in neighbor- 
ing parts of the ocean, somewhat beyond the 
limits of the region as defined in this report. 
Buzzards Bay; schools frequently seen in Au- 
gust and September.— V. N. Edwards. One 
taken at Menemsha Bight in fish trap October 
7, 1901. 
