THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 

 BAL^NOPTERA ACUTO-ROSTRATA LAC. EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN. SKULL. 



197 



It will be fouud by examination of the foregoing table that the dimensions of 

 the Massachusetts skull shows a surprisingly close approximation to those of the 

 Scotch skulls of the same size, amounting indeed to identity. Tlie few points of 

 disagreement are probably due to differences in the relative positions of the several 

 bones of the skull arising from shi-inkage in drying, etc. These are as follows : (1) 

 A very slight excess in the length of the skull measured over the occipital bone, 



' 2" added for breakage. 



' Swedish. In straight line. 



' From Zoiil. Erehus anJ Terror, p. 50 ; 2.4" added for preraaxillse. In P. Z. S., 1864, p. 399, Flower mentions 

 two skulls in R. Coll. Surg., as follows: Adolescent; length, 65' ; breadth, 54^; breadth of beak at middle. 23 JT. The 

 2d is young. Length, 48"; breadth, 50 :? ; breadth of beak at middle, zo'i. Also an iidolescent skull at Brussels. 

 Length, 63" ; breadth', 54;*; breadth of beak at middle, 21 ^. 



■* Curved. 



' The measurements of these three specimens were taken by me at the same time by the same methcx] io straight 

 lines, with calipers, and are strictly comparable. 



