Supplement to the catalogue of seals and whales in the British Museum

by John Edward Gray

1. PONTOPORIA.

Pontoporia, Gray, Cat. S. & W. pp. 230, 231 & 393; Synops. Whales & Dolph. p. 5; Flower, Trans. Zool. Soc. vi. p. 87; Burmeister, An. Mus. P. Buenos Ayres, p. 389.

Stenodelphis, Gervais, 1847.

Beak of the skull high, compressed. Symphysis of the lower jaw very long.

1. Pontoporia Blainvillii.

B.M.

Pontoporia Blainvillii, Gray, l. c. p. 231; Synops. Whales & Dolph. p. 5, t. 29 (skull); Flower, Trans. Zool. Soc. vi. p. 106, t. 28 (skull); Burmeister, An. Mus. P. Buenos Ayres, i. p. 387, tab. 23 (animal), tab. 25 & 26 (skeleton).

Inhab. South Atlantic, Monte Video.

The animal figured by Gervais as Delphinus (Stenodelphis) Blainvillii (Voy. Amér. Mérid. t. 23) differs from Burmeister’s figure in having an elongated subfalcate pectoral fin, and a higher dorsal, and a broad white streak, commencing from the blower and extending down the back to near the tail. If this is not a figure of the animal seen at sea, which I suspect it must be, it must be a different species.