Regarding the finding of the Atlantic City specimen and its exterior and
gross anatomy, nothing has been published except brief references by Sir
William Turner in 1889[25] and Dr. Glover M. Allen in 1906,[26] taken
from a newspaper report of a communication made by myself before the
Biological Society of Washington in 1889. On that account a somewhat
detailed statement regarding it will be made in this place.
This individual (Pl. 41, figs. 1, 2) was a male, 12½ feet long. It was
observed by the crew of life-saving station No. 28, near Atlantic City,
New Jersey, on the afternoon of March 28, 1889. It had come inside the
bar which skirts the coast at this point, and was apparently unable to
find its way out. It was captured with some difficulty, after being
wounded in the throat, and was dragged up on the beach near the station.
Later in the day it was carried to the skating rink of Messrs. Johnson &
McShea, at Atlantic City, where it was exhibited until Monday, April 1.
On the next morning it was sent by express to Washington.
I examined it for the first time in Atlantic City on March 29. It was
then lying on the floor of the skating rink in such a position that the
under surfaces were concealed, and, as the teeth were not visible, I
mistook it for a female. Upon its arrival in Washington, however, where
it could be examined under more favorable circumstances, it proved to be
a male. The following measurements were taken from the fresh specimen:
_External dimensions of a specimen of M. europæus from Atlantic City,
New Jersey._
Ft. in.
Total length (in a straight line) 12 6
Tip of beak to base of dorsal fin (along the back) 7 6½
Tip of beak to base of pectoral fin (along the back) 2 11
Length of pectoral fin along center 11
Greatest breadth of pectoral fin 3¾
Height of dorsal fin (in a straight line) 6
Length of base of dorsal fin 1 2
Breadth of flukes (tip to tip) 2 11
Depth of tail 14 inches in front of posterior margin 8¼
of flukes
Tip of beak to angle of mouth 9¾
Tip of beak to eye 1 8¼
Length of eye 1
Breadth of blowhole 4
Tip of beak to right angle of blowhole 1 6½