1. Post-mortem changes in hematology and plasma chemistry.

2. Changes in hematology and plasma chemistry during handling-stress.

3. Changes in hematology and plasma chemistry during blood storage.

4. A comparison of the distribution of leucocytes in peripheral and capillary blood.

An attempt was made to simulate as many conditions as might occur during field blood-studies on dolphins. Hematologic and plasma chemical constituents were analyzed from living and freshly killed specimens, from different sampling locations within the body, after long term blood storage at different temperatures, and from a dolphin subjected to considerable "handling-stress". The results provide guidelines which are useful in helping to interpret and correlate the findings obtained from blood studies on feral and captive dolphins.