22) CETACEA. 
a slender, elongated, triangular space in the front of the palate, — 
and in some the vomer is also more or less seen in the middle 
the palate; but the absence and presence of this bone in the — 
palate, which Mr. Owen appears to regard as important in the — 
distinction of species (see ‘ British Fossils,’ p. 518), is of very little © 
consequence, at least in this kind. a 
Cuvier (Oss. Foss. v. 303) described the cervical vertebra as — 
fused into a single piece, yet in Anat. Comp. 1. 105, he states that — 
in the Dolphins the atlas and axis only are united, the other — 
cervical vertebre remaining separate, though extremely thin. — 
Lesson (Cet. p. 226) describes the six first as quite thin im the ~ 
D. Delphis, and the last as somewhat thick. Dr. Jackson, who — 
points out these discrepancies, described the dolphin he examined 
_ as having the first and second cervical scarcely moveable upon ~ 
each other, and the other five smaller and rather more moveable. 
—Jackson, Bost. Journ. N. H. v. 155. ‘Ca 
The vertebre are thus enumerated :— ; 
1. Cuvier, Anat. Comp. 1. 103 .....+..0006 14 dorsal, 52 posterior. © 
BE ys ese HOSS 5-0. DUB. 6.ssaetsgienss 13 ol. ee 
BS) Doeason, Cet. 226 rece vensecnse cance RBibed 13 4,” eee 
A Dardine, \COracel nsassnneseonss gigeane’ 12. 550 ee 
5.2 Jackson, Bost. Journ. N. H.v. 154...14 ,, 55  ,, 
Dr. Jackson gives the followimg description of an American — 
specimen :— q 
Dusky black on the back, white on the belly, and lead-coloured 
on the sides ; a dusky line from | to 2 inches in width commenced — 
a little above the eye and passing along the sides was lost im the 
lead-colour within 18 or 20 inches of the tail, and another much 
less distinct ran parallel to this. Length 7% feet. Forehead 
convex, divided from the snout by a furrow. Fetus 38 inches; 
back dark bluish grey; belly nearly salmon-colour ; no longitu- 
dinal stripes as in the mother, but some very indistinct broad’ 
transverse stripes were seen towards the back ; teeth had not yet. 
appeared; cervical vertebrze 7, dorsal 14, posterior to these 55; 
the first and second cervical large and scarcely moveable upon: 
each other, the other five were much smaller and rather more 
moveable. rf 
Dolphin, Jackson, Bost. Journ. N. H. v. 153, 1845. 
Inhab. Atlantic Ocean, N. America. 
Whales differmg in no appreciable respect from the common 
dolphin of the British coast came round us in the high seas of 
every region of the globe during the voyage. It is widely oper 
to question whether the dolphins of so many distinct climates ar 
not also distinct species, but as long as we are to be guided by 
