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Show 534 MR. R. BROWN ON THE CETACEANS [Nov. 12, in popular imagination with the Arctic regions than any other, viz. the Cetacea. Though much more imperfectly known than any other group, yet my observations on them will be more brief than on the other mammals, and for the same reason which has conduced to the present state of cetology, viz. the want of opportunities of examining the species. These remarks will therefore necessarily consist of a statement of the geographical range and migrations and a description of the habits of the better known, and a list of the species, and whatever information can be collected on these points regarding the others only known by skeletons or remains in museums. These I have examined carefully; and the synonymy given is the result of that study, coupled with investigations made in Greenland. With the exception of a few of the more common, such as Phoccena communis, Beluga catodon, &c, I have not had an opportunity of examining, otherwise than in the manner indicated, most of the species. I have, however, examined at different times above thirty specimens of Baleena mysticetus, and many of Monodon monoceros; and to these I have appended various descriptive observations derived from my own examination and without reference to any other published descriptions, which have in nearly every case been only derived from an examination of fcetal specimens or isolated individuals, conveying but an imperfect idea of the species. What I said in another memoir equally applies here, viz. that the descriptions are not given as complete, but merely appended as fragments of a memoire pour servir. Those who have attempted tbe examination of any member of the group Cetacea, aud still more those whose lot has been to examine with frozen fingers (plunged every now and again into the warm blood of his subject) such an unwieldy object on a swaying ice-floe, will appreciate the difficulty of drawing up such descriptions ; and to them no apology is necessary for their imperfection. The absolute necessity of recording every description of the members of this order, however apparently well known, must be m y excuse for presenting these notes in such a disjointed state. In the original draft of them I had mentioned various particulars now omitted-the recent reproduction by the Ray Society of the admirable memoirs of Professors Eschricht, Reinhardt, and Lilljeborg rendering the publication of these unnecessary. 1. BALEENA MYSTICETUS, Linn. (ai) Popular names.-Greenland Whale, Right Whale, Common Whale (English authors) ; Whale, Whale-fish, and "Fish" (English whalers). The young are denominated suckers, and are also sometimes known by the following names:-Shortheads (as long as they continue suckling) ; Stunts (two years) ; Skull-fish (after this stage or until they become Size-fish, when the longest splint of whalebone reaches the length of six feet) ; Tueqval 1 (Norse); Rhetval (Danish); Arbek, Arbavik, Sokalik (Greenland); Akbek, Akbeelik pl. (Eskimo of western shores of Davis Strait) ; I have also heard both the Greenlanders and western Eskimo call it puma, but I cannot learn what is the origin of this word, and suspect it to be whaler,-a cor- |