8 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



with an example of the same genus from Cape Cod, revealed differences which 

 must probably be regarded as distinctive of two species. The latter is 

 apparently identical with the known species G. melas (or sivineval), 

 and agrees with Harlan's description of G. intermedins, and in locality ; the 

 Delaware specimen is of much broader and shorter proportions than any known 

 species, exhibits a narrower supraorbital roof and shorter tooth line. The in- 

 termaxillaries dilate and entirely cover the maxillaries at tbe basal two-fifths 

 of the muzzle, which then rather abruptly contracts to the tip. 



G. ? sp. nov. G. melas. 



End of muzzle to end malar to length End of muzzle to end malar to length as 



cranium, 2 to 4.5. 2 to 4 5. 



Width at basal fourth equal from notch Width do. four fifths from notch to sup- 

 to supraoccipital and 5-6ths length of raoccip. crest, 

 muzzle. 



Outlines begin to contract at basal Outlines continuous, nearly parallel. 

 2-5ths. 



Width at distal fourth equal length W T idih do. less than half length, 

 muzzle. 



.Supraoccipital everted to foramen mag- Supraocsipital straight to foramen mag- 

 num, num. 



Longitudinal width supraorbital roof, Longit. width supraorb. equal width., 



I width muzzle at basal third. muzzle at basal third. 



Length of alveolar series scarcely more Length do. equal width, muzzle at 7tb 



than half width of muzzle at seventh tooth. 

 tooth. 



Teeth above, six. Teeth above r ten. 



Dr. Gray (Catal. Cetaceous Brit. Mus.,) describes a specimen from Guada- 

 loupe in Mus. Paris, which has the maxilla; similarly concealed by the pre- 

 maxillaries. The present individual is an adult male, with the ligamentous 

 attachments on tbe muzzle, a^d muscular insertions largely developed. Total 

 length 25 in. 6 lin. ; postorbital width (above.) 



The whale alluded to (Proceedings, 1865, p. 168) as having been seen in 

 Mobjack Bay, Virginia, was stated to have been captured by Dr. P. A. Talia- 

 ferro and Prof. E. Taliaferro, of William and Mary College, Williamsburg, and 

 prepared and set up. It is a short- finned Megaptera, probably of the species 

 M. o s p h y i a. Prof. T. has kindly furnished me with the following details as 

 tj its structure, carefully drawn up by himself. 



Length from end of muzzle over convexity of back, forty-three feet nine 

 inches ; girth about nineteen feet ; length from end of muzzle to axilla (ex- 

 ternal measurement) fifteen feet; breadth of head across inferior margin of 

 jaws, eight feet. Length of the pectoral extremity four feet; greatest breadtb 

 fifteen inches ; they were situated close behind the angle ot the mouth. There 

 were three hundred and sixty lamiuie of baleen, extending on either side of 

 the mouth about six feet along the jaw, the longest about eighteen to twenty 

 inches. The bead was acute. The folds of the throat many and capacious. 

 The dorsal fin was represented by a conical mass covered by horny integu- 

 ment, without any membranous appendage, situated well posteriorly. The 

 body near the tail very slender. Tbe flukes suddenly expand to a breadth of 

 ten foet. The cervical vertebrae were all distinct. Color: jet black above,, 

 white on the belly; sides beautifully marbled by the combination of the two 

 colors. 



The most striking feature in this specimen is tbe shortness of the pectoral 

 limbs, being relatively nearly half less than in the specimen of the o s p h y i a 

 at Niagara, one- half the length of the cranium, and only one-tenth the total. 

 This is very different from any of the hitherto known species, and without 

 doubt distinct. 



[March, 



