136 THE WHALEBOXE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 



For the Borselaei- skeleton (1869) Van Beneden gives 14 pairs of ribs, but as 

 the last pair is as long as the preceding one probably another should be counted, so 

 that the formula would stand 7, 15, 14, '25 = 61. For the same reason one doi'sal 

 should be added in the case of the St. Vigor skeleton (1847), so that the formula 

 would be 7, 15, 15, 25 = 62, and in the case of Menge's Danzig skeleton (1874), 

 making the formula 7, 15, 14, 24 = 60. 



Some of the American specimens appear to require modification in the same 

 manner. 



The Cape Cod skeleton. No. 16045, as mounted, has 14 pairs of ril)s and 15 

 lumbar vertebrae. The 14th pair of ribs, however, is as long as the loth pair, and 

 hence it is very probable that an additional pair, or 15 in all, should be counted. 



The inferior cariua of the vertebra immediately in front of the one to which 

 the first chevron is attached is divided posteriorly, and it is probable that another 

 chevron was originally attached thei'e. The first chevron in position is large. 

 Such being the case, and considering the statement just made regarding the ribs, 

 the number of lumbar vertebrae would be reduced to 13. The formula would then 

 be 7, 15, 13, 23 + = 58 +. This formula appears exceptional in B.physahs unless 

 such European authorities as Flower, Delage, Fischer, etc., have been mistaken. It 

 will be noted, however, that Flower (4^, 414) proposes 13 lumbai's for the Vlie- 

 land Id. skeleton. 



The formula given by Dwight {35, 212) for the Gloucester (Mass.) skeleton is 

 7, 15, 15, 26 = 63. He states, however, that the inferior cai'ina of the 15th 

 lumbar is bifurcated posteriorly, and hence it is possible that it belongs to the 

 caudal series. His measurements show that the 15th pair of ribs is as long as the 

 preceding ones, and it may be that a 16th "floating" pair originally existed. In 

 case these conditions existed, the formula would be 7, 16, 13, 27 = 63. 



In the skeleton in the State Museum, Albany, N. Y., the 13th rib is 5 ft. 7 in. 

 long, while the 14th and last rib is 5 ft. 2 in. long. It thus appears that at 

 least one additional pair of libs was probably present oi'iginally. 



The first and second chevron bones in position are alike in size, from which it 

 may be inferred that a smaller anterior one is missing. If these inferences are correct 

 the vertebral formula for the skeleton- would be 7, 15, 14, 26 = 62. 



In the skeleton in the Museum of Compai'ative Zoology, Cambridge, Mass., 

 the 15th pair of libs is as long as the 14th pair, so that it is quite likely there was 

 originally a 16th pair. As to the chevrons, the first in position is only about one 

 fourth the size of the second, showing that no more are to be allowed foi- in that 

 direction. With the modification indicated, the formula for this skeleton would be 

 7, 16, 14, 26 = 63. 



The Newfoundland foetus which I carefully dissected had 16 pairs of ribs. 

 This number was also found by Struthers in tlie Peterhead specimen {Journ. Anat. 

 and Phys., 1871, p. 116). This 16th rib on the right side was 30 in. long, on the 

 left side, 22 in.. The 15th pair of ribs was 72 in. long. Flower states that in the 

 Margate skeleton the 15th pair of ribs was nearly as long as the 14th, so that 

 there may have been a 16th pair in this skeleton also. {P. Z. S., 1869, p. 608.) 



