68 BALING PTERA. 



Note. Gray's M. novce-zealandice may be a good species, but, 

 according to Prof. Flower, no distinctive characters have as yet 

 been defined. 



Genus IV. BAL^NOPTERA, Lacepede (1804). 



Skin of throat plicated. Head small, flat, and pointed in front. 

 Body long and slender. A small falcate dorsal fin. Fore limbs 

 small, narrow, and pointed ; tetradactylous. Baleen short and 

 coarse. Cervical vertebrae free. Scapula low and broad with the 

 acromion and coracoid process large. 



Vertebra. G. 7, D. 12, L. 13, Cd. 16 ; total 48. 



1. BAL^NOPTERA HUTTONI, Gray (1874). 

 Sulphur-bottom. 



Dark green above, shading off gradually to yellowish-white 

 below. Baleen yellow with a narrow black margin. 



Dimensions. Up to thirty feet "? 



Habitat. Seas of New South Wales and New Zealand. 



References. Gray, Ann. Nat. Hist. (4) 1874 xxxi. p. 316, pi. 

 xvi. (animalj and p. 450, pi. xviii. 



Note. This is possibly identical with the Northern B. rostrata. 



Suborder II. Odontoceti. 



Calcified teeth always present after birth, generally numerous, 

 but sometimes a limited number, or even in rare cases none, are 

 functional. No baleen. Upper surface of skull more or less 

 asymmetrical. Nasal bones in the form of nodules or flattened 

 plates, closely applied to the frontals, and not forming any part 

 of the roof of the narial passage, which is directed upwards and 

 backwards. Olfactory organ rudimentary or absent. Posterior 

 end of maxilla expanded, covering the greater part of the orbital 

 plate of the frontal bone. Lachrymal bone either inseparable 

 from the jugal, or, when distinct, very large and forming part of 

 the roof of the orbit. Tympanic bone not anchylosed to the 

 periotic, which is usually attached to the skull by ligament only. 

 Rami of mandible nearly straight, much expanded in height 

 posteriorly, with a wide funnel-shaped aperture to the dental 

 canal, and coming in contact in front by a flat surface of variable 

 length, always constituting a true symphysis. Several of the true 

 ribs with well-developed capitular processes, which articulate with 

 the bodies of the vertebrae. Sternum almost always composed of 

 several pieces, placed one behind the other, with which several 

 pairs of ribs are always connected by the intervention of well- 

 developed cartilaginous or ossified sternal ribs. External respira- 

 tory aperture single, the two nostrils uniting before they reach 



