[The natural history of the ordinary Cetacea or whales] / [Robert Hamilton].

  • Hamilton, Robert, 1794-1868
Date:
[1845-1846]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: [The natural history of the ordinary Cetacea or whales] / [Robert Hamilton]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    320/326 (page 262)
    Seventeenth Genus.—OXYPTERUS. With two dorsal fins. M. Refinesque Smaltz, a naturalist established in Sicily, proposed this name for a dolphin with two dorsal fins, which he affirmed he had seen in the Mediterranean. The evidence he gave of its exist- ence was unsatisfactory, and had not Messrs. Quoy and Gaimard, in their voyage, met with another ex- ample of this very singular genus, it would probably have been passed by in this place. This was the RHINOCEROS WHALE. Oxyptcrus Rhinoceros, Lesson.—Dclpliinus Rhinoceros, Quay and Gaimard. As no individual of this species was captured, we cannot present any plate which could be depended upon; we copy, however, from the atlas of Quoy and Gaimard, a cut which will assist the imagination and rivet the peculiarity on the memory. We shall quote the words of these eminent voyagers. “ In October 1809, in going from the Sandwich Islands to New South Wales, many Dol- phins, in troops, were performing their rapid evolu- tions about our vessel. Every one on board was