174 THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 



the irregularity of the end of the pectorals which occurs in many individuals, ap- 

 pears to me to be due in most cases to external injury. The normal, complete 

 termination is shown in pi. 21, fig. 3. When the pectorals ai'e blunt, the softer 

 parts are affected while the bones remain normal. This appears to indicate that 

 the injuries are caused by contact with bodies harder than the skin and ligaments, 

 but that the force of impact is not sufficient to fractui'e the bones of the digits. 

 Such injuries might perhaps be caused by rubbing against rocks at the bottom 

 of the bays which these animals frequent, but I suspect that they are sometimes 

 caused by the bites of sharks and porpoises. The malformation of the pectoi-als is 

 often accompanied by abnormalities elsewhere on the body. 



Of the Newfoundland Sulphurbottoms, No. 8, ? , had the tip of the pectorals 

 blunted. In No. 4, S, the tip of the right pectoral was injured and apparently 

 diseased, while the left was normal. In this individual, the inferior surface of the 

 posterior end of the caudal peduncle also showed indications of injuries. In No. 

 5, 3 , the I'iglit pectoral had much of the posterior margin torn and ii-regulai-, and 

 the tip distorted, as if broken. In this individual the dorsal was also injured and 

 had a semicircular piece lacking from the posterior margin, as if pierced by a bullet. 

 In No. 7, <?, the tip of both pectorals was blunted and irregular. The whalebone 

 was defective in this individual. In No. 8, ?, both pectorals were blunted and ir- 

 regular, as in the preceding specimen. The tip of the left pectoral in No. 14, ?, 

 was blunt. In No. 17, <^ , the tip of the left pectoral was remarkably blunted and 

 serrated, with a prominent finger-like projection on the radial side. The right 

 pectoral had a small hole in the posterior margin at a point distant from the 

 axilla equal to one third the total length. No. 20, ?, had the tip of the right pec- 

 toral ii'regular. 



SHAPE OF THE HEAD. 



The form of the head on the Newfoundland Sulphurbottoms is peculiar and 

 characteristic. The blowholes are situated in a depression slightly below the gen- 

 eral level of the top of the back. In front of them rises abruptly a strong median 

 ridge, the top of which is somewhat above the level of the back. This ridge slopes 

 down rapidly in front, but continues to the apex of the Jaw. On each side of the 

 blowholes is a thick rounded eminence, the top of which is about on a level with 

 the top of the median ridge. This eminence is prolonged anteriorly as a sloping, 

 attenuated, and rounded lidge which lies close to the median ridge, and dies away 

 without reaching the tip of the Jaw. External to this are the elevated, thick 

 margins of the Jaw, which are especially heavy near the apex of the Jaw. Viewed 

 from the side, the snout, or rostrum, presents a series of ridges and depressions, 

 and from in fi'ont a mt)st striking rotundity, on account of its great breadth and 

 thick integuments. These features are shown in pi. 15 and pi. 13, figs. 3 and 4. 



In No. 2, 3, 71 feet in length, the distance from eye to eye, across the I'egion 

 of the blowholes, was 10 ft. 2 in. ; across the rostrum half-way between the apex 

 and the blowholes, 5 ft. 5 in. In No. 9, ?, length 72 feet, the distance across the 



