126 hal.exopterih.t;. 



Axis vertebra distinct (Cuv. t. 2C). f. 19) ; second and third cer- 

 vicals united l)y spinous apophj'ses (t. 26. f. 20) ; the fourth (t. 26. 

 f. 21), fifth, sixth, and seventh free. Blade-bone short, much broader 

 than high, with a small acromion (Cuv. t. 26. f. 9). Humerus short, 

 thick ; the forearm-bones elongated ; hand very long ; fingers four, 

 very long, the two middle much the longest (Cuv. t. 2(). f. 22). 

 Pelvis crescent-shaped (Cuv. t. 2(!. f. 24). 



The cervical vertebra; which are in the British Museum (see fig. 19), 

 received direct from the Cape, present several very important charac- 

 ters, especially the square form of the bodies of the vertebrae, which 

 afford most striking specific distinctions ; but perhaps Professor 

 Eschricht may not have been able to examine the form of this part, 

 as the skeleton in the Paris Museum is articulated, and the articular 

 surfaces of the cervical vertebrae arc not shown. 



Professor Eschricht, who seems to have formed a theory that the 

 number of species of Whales was very limited, states that he could 

 not find any distinction in the skeleton of the Cape specimen in the 

 Paris Museum to separate it as a species from the Greenland ex- 

 amples. I cannot make any observation as regards the Paris ske- 

 leton ; but it is said to have been brought by Delalande from the 

 Cape, and is probably from those seas. 



M. Van Beneden, in his " liescarches on the Cetacea of Belgium," 

 also regards the Cajie species as the same as the Greenland one (see 

 Nouv. Mem. Acad. Roy. Bruxelles, xxxii. 38, 1861). He now con- 

 siders them as distinct, and is about to puljlish a desci'iption of the 

 Paris skeleton. 



1. Poescopia Lalandii. The Cape HamphacTc. 



Blade-bone with a very small coracoid process (Cuv. Oss. Foss. 

 t. 29. f. 9). Dorsal nearly over the end of the pectoral. Inter- 

 maxillary narrowed and contracted in front. Temporal bone broad, 

 triangular. " Second and third cex-vical vertebrae united by the 

 upper part of their body.'' — Cuvier. 



Eorqual du Cap, Cuv. Oss. Foss. v. 370. t. 26. f. 1-4 (.-kiill), t. 26. f.l9- 



21 (verteb.),f. 9 (blade-bone), f. 22 (fins), f. 24 (pelvis), t. 25. f. 15 



(tongue-bone) : all from Dclalaxde s speviincn. 

 Balfena Poeskop, UesiiioHlins. 

 I>aln3na P>alfenoptera Poeskop, Dcsjuouluis, Diet. Class. II. N. ii. 164, 



from Ik'lulamles MSS. 

 Balasna Lalandii, Fischer, Syn. 525, from Cmier. 

 Bala3uoptera Capensis, Smith, S. African Quart. Jouni. loO. 

 Megaptera Poeskop, Grai/, Zool. F. cV T. 17 ; Cat. Cctac. B. M. 1850, 29. 

 Eorqual noueux, Vo;/. Pole Sud, t. 24 (fern, not described). 

 Bala3noptera leiicopteron, Lesson, JV. Tab. liiy. Aiiim. 202. 

 Himipbacked Whales, lioss, Antaretie Voy. \. 161, 191(?); Mitchell, 



Trav. Au4r. ii. 241 (?) ; Beale, II. Sperm W. 12,30 (?). 

 Megaptera Poescopia Lalandii, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1804, 207 ; 



Ann. c^- Mag. N. IL 1864, xiv. 350" 



Inhab. Cape of Good Hope {Delalande) ; called Poeskop. Skeleton, 

 Mus. Paris. 



