194 



uo doubt, from the refraction of the light from the polished surface. 

 Even when near to the object, those parts not directly opposite to 

 the eye seemed much paler than they really were. 



As a species oi Physalus has been described as " slate-grey," aud 

 as, despite its real jetty hue, casual observers who had seen the 

 Laman WTiale, špoke afterwards of its grey colour, I have thought 

 this circumstance worthy of meatiou. 



Since this paper was read, the folio wing additional notes have been 

 addressed by the author to Dr. Gray, under the dates of July 16, 

 Aug. 16, and Sept. 24. 



16th July, 1856. 



Oddly enough, I had not been two hours in Orkney ere I heard 

 of another whale being ashore. On the first oppoitunity I started 

 for Copinshay, where I found it had beached itself a week previously. 

 The finders had already flensed it, and it was lying in a position 

 most unfavourable for examiuation. The back was down, the tide 

 alongside the body, aud it was impossible to get at the dorsal fin. 

 It is a malė, and I feel sure the šame species as the one I described ; 

 most probably the mate of that indi^-idual. 



As it mušt be of great importance to compare a specimen from 

 the šame locality as, and probably the mate of, the lašt, I send you 

 the only measurements I could make. 



I would respectfully direct your attention to the fact, that in both 

 this and the female formerly examined, the pectoral, measured from 

 tip to head of humerus, is exactly ^^ths of the whole length of the 

 body. This should be the length taken from the pectoral, as it is 

 impossible to know where the true union with the body is, there being 

 of course an anterior and posterior junction. 



The head in each bears very nearly the šame proportions to the 

 vvhole length. 



You can imagine with what keenness I made the lašt few cuts in 

 the putrid mass of carrion, which exposed clearly the mass of cervi- 

 cal vertebrse ; — two whales from the šame station, of nearly the šame 

 size, at nearly the šame time, alike in external appearauce and in the 

 exact proportion of pectoral, one a malė and the other a female. 

 And there the bones lay — so likę, as I said, that a drawing of the one 

 would do for a likeness of the other. 



I feel sure that you will agree with me, that the variations before- 

 mentioned do not vveaken the identity of these individuals. 



As soon as the bones are clean I shall pack them carefuUy, and 

 send them up. I regret that the fearful statė of the carcase pre- 

 vented me from counting the ribs or vertebrse. Indeed it was with 

 the ntmost difficulty that I could get any one to lend a liand in se- 

 curing the bones, so avvful was the smell and condition, and so huge 

 was the mass of decomposed flesh to be removed, — the whale, unfor- 

 tunately, lying on its back, while no power on earth could have 

 turned it in its then condition. However, my own repugnances 

 vanished at the call of Science, and example works vvonders. 



