Abstract

(…) In 1893 Dr. R. A. Philippi, Director of the National Museum of Chili, described several new species of porpoises and commented on various South American forms previously known. In 1896 he supplemented this by a second paper on the same subject.

These two papers constitute a valuable contribution to the knowledge of the Delphinidae of South American seas, but, on account of lack of access to recent literature, or for some other reason, many of the different forms are assigned to genera to which they can at present hardly be considered to belong. As I have given the family Delphinidae considerable study and have examined the types of the majority of the species described by Gray and other cetologists, I venture to express below my opinions as to the probable affinities and correct scientific names of the various forms described or mentioned by Dr. Philippi. (…)