of the Skeleton of Balcerioptera Rorqual. 527 



for teeth, which are found in several genera of the order 

 Cetacea. 



There is a number of large foramina on the labial surface 

 of these bones, for the passage of large blood-vessels. The 

 anterior mental foramen is placed externally near the chin, and 

 is sufficiently large to admit a man's thumb : this leads to a 

 large canal, which traverses the body of the bone ; it con- 

 tains blood-vessels and nerves, which, having performed their 

 important duties in nourishing the bone, pass out by another 

 large hole on the inside of a hole that is situated about 2 ft. 

 from the back of the condyle. 



The Os Linguale, or Bone of the Tongue. — This is of a 

 triangular shape, and its appendages make it appear an 

 immense volume of bone ; it is situated between the shoul- 

 ders, and above the bones forming the sternum [bone of the 

 chest or breast]. The body of this lingual bone is curved in 

 its form, the convexity of which projecting anteriorly, its in- 

 ferior margin is crescent-shaped. There is to be observed a 

 semilunar cavity at its smallest part, which, with the cartilages 

 and ligaments, aids in the living animal towards forming the 

 cavity of the throat. On its sides are some asperities, which 

 give attachment to some of its powerful ligaments, &c. The 

 top contains a deep sulcus [furrow], likewise lined with a 

 similar surface, for the purpose of allowing origin and inser- 

 tion to the muscles of deglutition. The bony appendages of 

 this bone are two in number, and are articulated by means of 

 loose ligaments to two extremities of the lingual bone. They 

 are curved throughout their length, the convexity approach- 

 ing inwards, where is a large and almost circular space in 

 their upper part, that in the living animal contains enormous 

 masses of fat. The remainder of these appendages are smooth, 

 and appear only to give connection to a few muscular fibres. 



THE STRUCTURE OF THE SPINE. 



This portion of the skeleton is composed of fifty-four bones, 

 and, with the head, forms a length which at first sight seems 

 impossible to have belonged to an animated being, did we 

 not know the creative power of an almighty and w^ondrous 

 God. 



As in most of the other Mammaha, we can divide the bones 

 of the spine into four series : cervical, dorsal, lumbar, and 

 caudal. 



'- Of the Vertebrce or Bones of the Neck, — The first three of 

 these have no spinal processes; but it appears, from its 

 projecting from the cranium, that the spinal marrow passes 

 from the brain into its proper canal, which is formed by the 



Q 2 



