404 DR KNOX on the Dentition of the JDugong, and on the 



forward so useful a work, I propose at some future period to lay 

 before the Society descriptions and drawings of those which have 

 come under my own observations." Mr HUNTER, by these re- 

 marks, means, no doubt, to state that he had in his possession 

 anatomical descriptions or monographs of the various individuals 

 of the whale tribe examined by him. These monographs un- 

 happily, so far as I know, have never been communicated to the 

 public *. This is extremely to be regretted, inasmuch as, until 

 the publication of proper monographs of each species, drawn up 

 from dissections made by experienced anatomists, almost every 

 thing said regarding the Cetacea, or of any other tribe of ani- 

 mals, must be matter of pure conjecture. 



Delphinus Phoccena. 



I am indebted to my brother for certain of the following ob- 

 servations on some parts of the anatomy of the porpoise. 



The ribs have always been found to be thirteen on each side, 

 when the specimen came uninjured into his hands at first, a fact 

 the more remarkable, I think, that all the artificially articulated 

 skeletons I have seen have twelve only on each side, shewing 

 how easily errors arise when the setting up of a skeleton is en- 

 trusted to persons altogether ignorant, or altogether regardless, 

 of anatomical science. In one specimen which is now in the 

 Museum, about the middle of the dorsal vertebras, there is a 



* As I have not the honour of a personal acquaintance with the person into 

 whose hands Mr HUNTER'S Papers came on the demise of that great man, I here 

 take tne liberty of suggesting to him the propriety of publishing those Memoirs of 

 the Cetacea spoken of by Mr HUNTER, which assuredly will be found to contain 

 highly important facts and observations. 



