MAMMALS the boundaries of the fine old walled park at Petworth, and cannot be considered as a purely feral animal as their range is restricted. The date of their introduction to this enclosure is not known to Lord Leconfield, who has kindly sent the following note : ' I have been quite unable to find any records to show when the roe were imported or how they got into the park at Petworth. The portion which they inhabit was originally a wild and rough bit of ground where red deer were kept. These were destroyed by my grandfather and this part of the park was ploughed up. The roe deer which were there at the time were how- ever preserved and are there still. It is, I fear, impossible to correctly estimate their numbers. Some years ago, within my recol- lection, there were only seven left when my father introduced a change of blood from Scotland and once more put them on their legs again, and there are now quite a good stock.' About six or seven bucks are killed annually. Sir Edmund Loder, Bart., has on more than one occasion tried roe at Leonardslee, but they have never thriven well there in spite of the excellent natural protec- tion and wild ground apparently so well suited to their habits. The last buck died at Leonardslee in 1897. It is not improbable that at some future date wandering roc may find their way from Hampshire where they are now increasins;. CETACEA 40. Common Rorqual. Balamptera musmlui, Linn. B. physalus (Linn.). True. This cetacean may fairly claim a place amongst the Sussex mammals as it is the commonest whale that visits the Channel.' It has been frequently seen by those qualified to give an opinion, although there is no actual record of its capture unless we accept the following note taken from Mrs. Merrifield's A Sketch of the Natural History of Brighton, i860, p. 114: 'About the year 1833 °'^ 1834 a large whale 70 feet in length and 35 feet in circumference was stranded on the shore near Roe-dean turnpike gate. The blubber was melted down into oil, and the enormous skeleton, after being cleaned, was again put together and exhibited on the level as a show. The jaw bones were set up in 1 Old records show that the 'Oyl fish' industry was at one time largely carried on in the Channel. The object of the chase was probably the members of this species, which seems to have been common. Mr. Bass's garden.' Mr. Lydckker says that specimens of this whale are 'stranded on the British coasts, more especially those of the southern parts of England.' 41. Porpoise. Phodena communis, Lesson. A common and regular summer visitor to the Channel. 42. Risso's Grampus. Grampus griseus, Cuv. A young male assigned to this species was captured at Siddlesham in west Sussex in July, 1875, and kept alive for some hours at the Brighton Aquarium. [Common Dolphin. Delphinus delphis, Linn. A probable visitor. In the Second Supple- ment (1888) to The Natural History of Hastings and St. Leonards and the Ficinity the dolphin is added to the list of cetaceans, but no particulars are given of the alleged occur- rence.] 307
