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Show 50 MR. J.W. CLARK ON THE NARWHAL. [Jan. 17, there exist species of Flounders of which single individuals, contrary to the general rule, have their eyes on the left side of the head instead of on the right, or vice versa. If any thing similar could occur in the Narwhal; if the cranium might be twisted to the right instead of to the left, then the tusk also would most likely be twisted in the same uncommon direction." By such a theory as this, he urges, Scoresby's remarkable instance of a female Narwhal tusk, with a dextrorsal spiral, may be explained. There are now at least eleven bidental skulls in existence in different European museums, including the one at Cambridge. I have collected all the information I could about them, partly from personal observation, partly from the kindness of friends, and partly from books and figures. 1. Hamburg.-The celebrated specimen brought home in 1684 by Dietrich Petersen, Captain of the 'Golden Lion.' Female. It was originally deposited in the Museum of Herr Rdding, a private collector of curiosities, but is now in the town museum, where I saw it in 1866. Unfortunately I had no opportunity of measuring it. The following dimensions are from Anderson* :-left tusk 7' 5" long, 9'' in girth ; right 7' long, and 8" in girth. Figured originally by Anderson, whose engraver has made the right side the left, and rice versa. His figure bas been copied, with its errors, by Lacepede t, and very badly, but corrected, by Klein $. 2. Copenhagen.-In the Zoological Museum of the University there is a complete adult skeleton with two fully developed tusks; a skull in a similar condition ; and a skull with two very large tusks, but unfortunately much damaged. In the Museum of the Veterinary School is a fourth skull §. 3. Christiania.-A very fine skull, sent from Copenhagen. I took the following measurements in 1866 :- Total length, from extremity of occipital condyles to end of longest tusk 101" Length of exserted portion of longest tusk 6' 5" Girth 8" The other tusk is now 6\" shorter, but has been broken. Apparently they were originally of the same length. It is 7" in girth at the same point as the other. The tusks diverge 2" at their origin, 8" from the end of the broken tusk to the opposite point of the entire one. 4. Amsterdam.-The skull figured by Vrolik ||. He gives no history of it; but Reinhardt believes it to be one that was sold in 1846 by the Directors of the Copenhagen Museum. It will be remarked that the right tusk is the longest. Vrolik believes it to be of a female, but, as Reinhardt considers, on no very sufficient grounds. ** Nachrichten von Gronland. t Histoire des Cetaces, pl. 9. X Hist. Piscium, Add. ad Missus ii. iii. iv. plate iii. § These facts, which I noted in 1866, have been confirmed, and more accuratelv stilted, in a letter kindlv sent m e bv Prof. Reinhardt at the beginning of this vear |! Vrolik, I.e. S *y " |