90 



BaLjEnoptera rostrata, Gray, Zool. Voy. H.M.S. Erebus and 

 Terror, 50. t. 2. 



Balaena rostrata, MūUer, Hunter, 8cc. 



Rorquaius minor, Knox, Jardine N. L. 142. t. 7. 



Inhabits the British coast, North Seas, Greenland. 



There is a skeleton of this species in the British Museum, and a 

 skull in the museum of the Hull Philosophical Society. 



In this species the first cervical vertebra is rather broader than 

 long; the centrai hole is half as high again as broad. The second 

 and third cervical vertebrse are united together by the upper edge. 

 The second cervical vertebra has a broad, much-expanded, lateral 

 process, with an oblong centrai hole near the body of the vertebra, 

 reaching rather more than half its length. The third, fourth, fifth 

 and sixth cervical vertebrse have two (upper and lower) lateral pro- 

 cesses ; the upper process of the third is the shortest and least de- 

 veloped, and these processes increase in length to the sixth. The 

 lower process of the third is the thickest ; the fourth and fifth rather 

 small, and in the sixth the basai part of the process is shorter, and 

 the upper part much-elongated and thinner. The seventh has only 

 the upper process, which resembles that of the first dorsal in form, 

 but is smaller. 



This species is the smallest of the family, and rarely if ever ex- 

 ceeds twenty-five or thirty feet in length. It is easily known by the 

 white spot on the base of the upper side of the pectoreJ fin. 



Genus Physalus, Finneh Whales. 



The pectoral fin one-fourth, the dorsal fin three-fourths the length 

 of the body frora the end of the nose. The cervical vertebrse all 

 separate and free. Vertebrse 54 to 64. Pectoral fin moderate, about 

 one-eighth the length of the body. Dorsal fin behind the orifice of 

 generation. Chest with longitudinal folds. 



This genus may be divided into two sections, according to the form 

 of the transverse apophyses of the cervical vertebrse. 



* The transverse apophyses of the cervical vertebrce much-expanded, 

 united, f orming a ring in the second to the sixth vertebra. Physalds. 



1. Physalus ANTiQUORUM. 



Balsena Physalus, Scoresby. 



Balsenoptera antiąuorum, Fischer, Syn. 325 ; Gray, Z. E. Sf T. 50. 



Rorqual de la Mediterranėe, Cuvier, Os. Foss. 



Inhabits British Ocean, Mediterranean. 



Skeleton at Black-Gang Chine, from Isle of Wight, and in Mr. 

 Patch's show, frora Plymouth. 



The transverse apophyses are as broad as the body of the vertebra, 

 and the latter is oblong, half as broad again as high. VertebrEC 54, 

 viz. 7 cervical, 13 dorsal, 17 lumbar, and 17 caudal. The ribs are 

 simple. 



The lateral processes of the cervical vertebrse are much longer than 



