118 BAL^NOPTEEID^. 



The atlas vertebra with an oblong body, and with a large and short 

 broad lateral process from the nppcr part of each side. The upper 

 and lower lateral processes of tho second cervical vertebra very thick, 

 short, blunt, and separated at the ends ; of the other cervical ver- 

 tebrse slender, more elongate, separate. Neural arch of the cervical 

 vertebrae strong, high, with a large subcircular cavity for the spinal 

 marrow. The bodies of the cervical vertebrae oblong, roundish, or 

 subquadrangular, rather wider than high. The scapiila short and 

 broad, without any, or a veiy smaU, coracoid process. The ann- 

 bonelong; wrist \vith a broad flat spur; the fingers four, elongate, 

 very unequal in length, the third longest, the second rather shorter, 

 the fourth much shorter, and the first shortest ; the longest is formed 

 of eight joints (see Eschr. Dan. Trans. 1845, t. 2. f. D, & t. 3. f. 4). 

 The front ribs thick, oblong, compressed, ^vithout any swelling or 

 compressed dilated part near the condyle. 



The baleen is short, broad, triangular, much longer than broad at 

 the base, rapidly attenuated, edged with a series of bristle-like fibres, 

 which become much thicker and more rigid near and at the tip. 

 Rather twisted, especially when dry. The tympanic bones are like 

 those of the Bcdmioptera, oblong, but shorter and more ventricose. 



The foetal specimens exhibit numerous rudimentary teeth in both 

 jaws. These are fig-ured by Eschricht (Danish Trans, iv. t. 4. f. a, h) 

 from specimens 35 and 45 inches long (copied Zool. Erebus & Terror, 

 t. 30. f. 2-14). 



" Orbital process of frontal much narrowed externally. Scapula 

 high and narrow ; acromion and coracoid process absent or rudi- 

 mentary. Metacarpus and phalanges greatly elongated. Vertebrae 53. 

 Ribs 14. Coronoid process of lower jaw low, obtuse. Nasal bones 

 narrow, pointed at both ends, rising to a sharp ridge in the middle 

 line, and deeply hollowed at the sides." — Fhiver, P. Z. S. 1864, 391. 



In the foetal state the forearm-bones are very much longer than 

 the humerus. The third finger is the longest, but not much longer 

 than the second ; the fourth, and then the first, are shortest. The 

 spur at the wrist is falcate. The first finger has 3, the second 8, the 

 third 8, and the fourth 3 phalanges. (See Eschricht, Wallthierc, 

 t.3. f. 4.) 



In the ' Catalogiie of Cetacea,' p. 24, by a slip of the pen, the first 

 rib is incorrectly said to be forked at the end near the vertebra. 



The cervical vertebra? are liable to be more or less anchylosed 

 together. In two specimens, one of M. longimana, in the Museum, 

 all the cervical vertebrae are free. In the young specimen in the 

 Derby Museum at Liverpool, which is probably M. longhnana, the 

 second and third cervical vertebrae are very thin, and anchylosed both 

 by the body and the neural arch. In the specimen of M. Poeskop in 

 Paris, according to Cuvier, the second and third cervicals are united 

 by the upper part of their body ; and m a specimen, apparently of 

 the same species, from the Cape, in the British Museum the second 

 and third cervical vertebrae are only anchylosed by one side of the 

 neural arch, and free everywhere else. The breast-bone is irregular 

 rhombic ; in one specimen of M. longhnana from Greenland it is 



