Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 4 (1846).djvu/298

1464 Wesmael,* the first belonging to Hyperoodon rostratum of Chem- nitz.

The figure of Delphinorhynchus micropterus, given by Cuvier, and copied in the 'Naturalist's Library,'f is bad ; the body being repre- sented much too lengthened and fusiform ; the beak too much pro- duced; the pectoral fins too long; the neck too much marked; the dorsal fin too short ; and the tail with a central protuberance, which does not exist in reality.4

The following description is taken partly from M. Dumortier's Memoir, and partly firom a figure taken from the living animal, § but all that relates to the osteology is my own. This animal which was a female, was left on the sands by the retiring tide, and purchased by M. Paret of Slykens, near Ostend ; it was kept alive out of water for two days, and during this period it uttered incessant loud and hoarse bellowings, refusing every kind of nourishment.

Description. Upper parts brownish lead colour, under parts ashy white ; body fusiform, attenuated at both extremities ; its greatest thickness behind the pectoral fins and half way between these and the dorsal fin ; head higher than broad, separated from the body by indi- cations of a neck ; forehead tumid ; head gradually narrowing ante- riorly, so as to end in a sub-depressed beak with a rounded extremity ; upper mandible shorter and narrower than the inferior one ; spiracle placed on the top of the head in front of the orbits, it is transverse and slightly arched or crescent-shaped ; mouth large, presenting ex- teriorly no appearance of teeth; tongue attached to the inferior jaw, its edge dentate, the membrane lining the upper jaw presents similar indentations ; eyes large, black, with blue iris,|| imbedded in a cushion of sub-gelatinous substance, furnished with lids, their situa- tion is the middle of the lateral portion of the head ; opening of au- ditory canal seen on each side of the posterior part of the head in the shape of an almost imperceptible orifice ; pectoral fins placed towards the inferior part of the thorax, their insertion is included in the ante-

Mem. Acad. Koy. Bmn. vol. xiii.

t Aodon Dalei Robt. Hamilton, Nat. Lib. vol. Cetacea, 198, pi. 14. This name of Aodon is certainly to be rejected, as the Havre specimen was furnished with small sub-rudimentary teeth in the alveolæ of the lower jaw.

+ Mr. Hamilton seems not to have known that a specimen, stranded on the Bel- gian coast, had been described previously to the publication of his work.

§ By Mr. Vanaeyck under the name of Dauphin Boutskopf.

H Prof. Cocco says his specimen had a red iris.