5. PHYSALU3. 143 



British species is Mr. F. J. Knox, who took some pains to examine 

 these animals and their anatomy. 



For the pnrpose of convenient comparison the bones of these large 

 animals (indeed of all animals) are best kept separate. I believe 

 that it is having them separate that has enabled me to determine 

 some of the species here mentioned which had before been overlooked, 

 — a single specimen of each family or genus being mounted to show 

 the general form of the animal and the position the bones naturally 

 bear to each other. 



Ray calls these whales Balcena tripennis, thus separating them 

 from those which have no dorsal fin ; but Polach misunderstood him, 

 and says they have three fins on their back. 



Mr. F. J. Knox, having purchased a whale 84 feet long, which 

 was stranded near North Berwick on the 5th of October, 1831, and 

 another 10 feet long, taken in the stake nets at Queensferry, Firth 

 of Forth, in February 1834, determined by anatomical differences 

 that they were distinct species, in a ' Catalogue of Anatomical Pre- 

 parations illustrative of the Whale,' by F. J. Knox, Conservator of 

 the Museum in Old Surgeons' Hall, 8vo, Edinburgh, 1838. He dis- 

 tinguished the former by the name of Balcena maximus borealis, and 

 the latter as Balcena minimus borealis. As no description of the 

 colour of the animal, or any account of the nuchal vertebrae, is given, 

 it is impossible, from his account, to determine the species of the 

 former ; but the catalogue contains some most interesting particulars 

 relative to the anatomy of these animals. 



Fortunately the skeleton of the larger whale was purchased by 

 the Town Council of Edinbm-gh, and was exhibited in the Zoological 

 Gardens of that city. As far as it was possible to examine it at the 

 height at which it was suspended, it appeared to be a Physalus ; and 

 the same as, or very nearly allied to, the species described in this 

 Catalogue under the name of P. antiquormn. This skeleton was last 

 year moved to the New Museum, but the walls would not support 

 the weight, and they have to be rebuilt. The B. minimus borealis 

 appears to be a young specimen of the B. rostrata or Pilce Whale of 

 Hunter. Mr. F. J. Knox's drawing of this specimen, as suspended, 

 in the act of swimming, is rej^resented in Jardine's ' Naturalist's 

 Library.' 



This was the first time that the Northern Finners had been sepa- 

 rated on an actual examination and comparison of specimens. But 

 the pamphlet in which these observations were published being a 

 mere guide to the exhibition, has been overlooked, and I could only 

 procure a copy after great trouble, and from the family of the 

 author. 



