54 



The whole length of the skeleton was said to be 40 feet, 

 and the number of vertebrae was 51, the terminal one having 

 perhaps been lost. The cervical vertebrae were all separate, 

 and so they are in the Rorqual du Cap, excepting a fusion 

 of the upper part of the wings of the second and tiiird. 

 This fusion may have originally existed, and the evidence 

 been apparent in the present specimen ; but Dr. Jackson 

 not being aware of the observation, at the time, in respect 

 of the rorqual, had not given his attention to this point in 

 the skeleton. The number of ribs, on the right side, was 

 thirteen, and on the left side fourteen ; in the rorqual, fourteen 

 on each side. Only one of the baleen plates was exhibited ; 

 this measured only thirty inches in length, although it was 

 said to be one of the longest. The skeleton wanted the 

 bones of the pelvis, and belonged to a female nearly adult. 



Rev. E. E. Hale gave a relation of an ascent recently 

 made by him to the top of Mount Katahdin, in Maine. 



Mr. Hale found on the summit but eight phanerogamous 

 plants which are not found below that elevation. All of 

 these prove to be common to Katahdin and Mount Washing- 

 ton. Katahdin is nearly one hundred miles farther north 

 than Mount Washington, and the climate of the summits is 

 probably about the same. 



The plants referred to are : 



Arenaria greenlandica, Empetmim nigrum, 



Solidago virgaurea [alpina,] Juncus trifidus, 



Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex washingtoniana, 



Diapensia lapponica, Prenanthes thesoidea. 



Mr. Hale also observed the Lycopodium anotinum. 



Dr. J. Wyman announced some observations recently 

 made by him, on the perforation of shells by the animal of 

 Natica heros. 



ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY. 



Catalogue of Plants in the Cabinet of the Providence Franklin 

 Society. From S. T. Olne.y. 



