112 



BAL.^ENOrTERTBiK 



Cuvier (Oss. Fos. v.) determined by the form of the head three 

 kinds of Finncr Whale, bnt he was doubtful if they might not be 

 varieties of age of the same species. These kinds are the types of 

 three genera : viz. liorqual du Cap = Me(/(ipfera, llorqual de la 

 Mediterranee = PJii/salxs, Rorqual du Nord = SihbahdKS. 



" In the first three columns of the followiug Table are given the 

 actual length of the cranium, greatest breadth (at the squamosals 

 behind the orbit), and breadth across the middle of the beak, in 

 inches ; and in the last two, the proportionate breadth of the skull 

 and beak to the total length, the latter being reckoned at 100. 



" It is seen by this that the individual differences among specimens 

 oiPliymlus and S'thbaldms are considerable, the proportionate breadth 

 of skull ranging in the first case between 44 and 52, and of the beak 

 between 18 and 21, and in the second genus between 40 and 51, 

 and 19 and 22; and these differences do not seem at all to be regu- 

 lated by age. A slight allowance must certainly be made for errors 

 arising from the difficulty of measuring straight lines with exactness, 

 especially single-handed, upon these large irregular objects. On the 

 whole, however, the specimens of Sihhahlitts have no advantage on 

 the score of breadth. The examples of Balanioptera rostrata are 

 slightly broader than the others in proportion to their length. 



" Van Benedcn is of o])inion that this specimen, as well as that at 

 Berlin, is referable to the same species as the veiy large female 

 Whale taken near Ostend in 1^27, the skeleton of wliich was exhi- 



