dergone such extensive changes in habits and structure. 



In the effort to learn more of the ancestry of the whales 

 we naturally turn to paleontology to supplement the embry- 

 ological evidence. But in this we are doomed to disappoint- 

 ment, for the few fossil Cetaceans which are known fail to 

 throw any light on the nature of the terrestrial ancestors 

 of the group. In connection with the preservation of Ceta- 

 cean remains it is of interest to note that the earbones of 

 whales are remarkably dense and, together with the teeth 

 of sharks and bits of meteoric iron, are abundant in the 

 deeper parts of the ocean floor. The extreme slowness with 

 which these deposits must accumulate is evident. 



The order Cetacea was formerly divided into herbivorous 

 and carnivorous groups. The former, including the Manatee, 

 Dugong, and the recently exterminated Rhytina or Steller's 

 Sea-cow, are now referred to a distinct order — Sirenia. The 

 Cetacea, as now understood, are all carnivorous forms, and 

 comprise three sub-orders — the Mystacoceti or whalebone 

 whales, the Archseoceti, a group of extinct Cetaceans of the 

 genus Zeuglodon, and the Odontoceti or toothed whales. 

 The last sub-order includes the Sperm whale {Physeter) and 

 the Dolphins (Delphinidae) . 



The following Cetacean exhibits are to be found in the 

 Museum. 



BLACK WHALE, NORDCAPER, OR BISCAY WHALE 



Baleana GLALICALIS Bonnaterre=B. CISARCTICA, Cope 



This is the skeleton of a young male captured in Charles- 

 ton Harbor January 8, 1880, and mounted by Dr. Gabriel E. 

 Manigault, then Curator of the Museum. 



The length of this animal in the flesh was 40 feet 4 inches. 

 The skeleton measures 35 feet 7 inches. Fortunately the 

 greater part of the baleen plates or "whalebone" is shown 

 in its natural position in the jaws. 



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