70 KNOX ON THE CETACEA. 



Muscles. — The panniculus carnosus, strong and fleshy, extended 

 nearly over the whole trunk. The recti abdominis were power- 

 ful, and attached inferiorly in this way : — A portion runs to the 

 pelvic bones ; a much stronger to a strong aponeurosis, situated 

 between the anus and the root of the tail. 



The erector muscles of the spine (sacrolumbalis, longissimus 

 dorsi and multifidus spinse) weighed fully 16 lbs. They had but 

 slender costal attachments ; but their spinal (small delicate ten- 

 dons) were innumerable. The scaleni were very large ; and the 

 vessels held the same relation to them as in man. The serratus 

 magnus was comparatively small. The larger rhomboid had no 

 spinal attachment ; the minor rhomboid seemed to be the larger 

 of the two. The pectorals were comparatively small. The adi- 

 pose tissue appeared to be wholly confined to the subcutaneous 

 region. The muscles were of a deep brown colour, full of blood, 

 with a short, dark, and well-flavoured fibre : when cooked, they 

 had a strong resemblance in flavour and taste to the flesh of the 

 hare. 



Part II. The Bal^na Whales, oe Whales with Whalebone. 



In February 1834 a young whale of the family of Balaena Whales 

 was caught near the Queensferry, in the Firth of Forth. One 

 much larger had been seen some time before, but escaped. I 

 purchased it for dissection, although I was aware that it was im- 

 possible for me, during the hurry of the winter session, to devote 

 much time to it. But I had able assistants (Mr. Henry Goodsir, 

 Mr. Edward Forbes, and my brother), from whom I expected a 

 good deal of aid. Some very beautiful drawings of this whale, 

 made for me by Mr. Edward Forbes and by my brother, are still 

 in mj possession. 



It was easy to see, by the dorsal fin and by the numerous plaits 

 or folds on the abdominal surface of the throat and chest, before 

 any dissection, that the specimen was a young Balsenopterous 

 whale, differing in a great many points from the true whale or 

 Mysticetus : for, 1st, the form of the head was entirely different ; 

 2nd, it had a dorsal fin ; and, 3rd, occupying the lower surface of 

 the throat and thorax were numerous folds of the integuments. 

 To this class of whales I have been in the habit of giving the name 

 of Eorqual, to distinguish them from the other class of Whale- 

 bone Whales, the Mysticetus both horealis and australis. 



