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CETÀCEA.
Previous to joining the Eirst Expedition to Western Yunnan, my attention had
heen for some time directed to the investigation of the Cetacea inhabiting the
rivers of India and Burma. The long time necessarily occupied by the Expedition
in proceeding up that splendid river, the Irawady, which has heen appropriately
designated the Khine of the East, afforded me a fitting opportunity of observing
the dolphin which was known to inhabit its waters, hut whioh was unknown to
science.
On that occasion I was enabled to determine that it was a round-headed species,
nearly allied to the globose-headed dolphin of the estuary streams of the Ganges,
and shortly afterwards, through the exertions of my fellow-traveller, Captain
Bowers, I became possessed of a specimen. On the Second Expedition to thè same
region, I was enabled to supplement my previous observations on the habits of the
animal, and by the assistance of the Political Agent at Bhamò, Captain Cooke, to
obtain two other specimens.
In the interval between these two Expeditions, I succeeded in procuring three
specimens of Oroella brevirostris, Owen, and numerous examples of Platamsta
gangetica, Lebeok,. which enabled me to work out the anatomy of these two
dolphins, and I have considered it desirable to incorporate the results in this volume
alongside of Orcetta flwmwalis, Andr., instead of publishing them in a separate
form. Moreover, it is of importance that the anatomy of 0 . brevirostris should be
here given, because I have not had sufficient materials to work out the soft
anatomy of O. jhmmalis; but the two species are so nearly allied that the anatomy
of the one, in all ts essentials, doubtless corresponds to that of the other..