ANATOMY OF MEGAPTERA LONGIMANA. 57 



and outer side of head of femur ; at middle f inch broad, ^ inch 

 thick, but about half that size on left side. Its pelvic attach- 

 ment is at what would be the acetabular cartilage in Mysticetus 

 and in B. musculus. There is an elevation of the bone here in 

 Megaptera, but rather to the inside of where the acetabular 

 cartilage is in these other whales. The ligament is attached at 

 the outer side of this elevation on the left side, at its inner on 

 the right. On the left side the ligament, directed inward and 

 forward, will check gliding movement of the femur in these 

 directions. On the right side, owing also to the more outward 

 position of the femur, the ligament turns round the outer edge 

 and goes on to the outer part of the superficial surface of the 

 femur, and is so placed that it checks gliding movement in the 

 outward direction, and rotation inwards. On the left side an 

 intermediate ligament, stronger than the external ligament, is 

 seen, associated more with the posterior ligament than with the 

 external. Not present on right side. 



The Anterior Fibrous Connections of the Femur. — The great 

 anterior band of the femur is attached not only to the apex, but 

 by thinner continuations to each side of the anterior third of 

 the femur, as far as the anterior lateral tuberosity (fig. 15, n., 

 right side). In the figure, on the left side, these continuations 

 are removed, bringing into view (fig. 15, o.) a band which 

 arose from the deep surface of the femur, opposite to that 

 tuberosity, f inch broad, flattened but a thick strong band, 

 stronger on the right side than on the left. It is a deeper 

 stratum of the fibrous tissue at the outer part of the great 

 anterior band, separated, seemingly, by its being connected 

 externally with the fibrous prolongation from the caudal mass, 

 a portion of which is seen joining it in the figure. 



The great anterior band may be termed the femoral pro- 

 longation hand, regarding it as representing a continuation of 

 the femur, like the tibial band which appears to represent a 

 continuation of the tibia in Mysticetus (loo. cit., fig. 18, h). 

 Arising at and near the apex of the femur, it has a size of If 

 inch broad by ^ to ^ inch thick, oval in section, thicker internally 

 than externally ; passes forwards f®r about 15 inches, expanding, 

 and ends by joining the fibrous tissue at the posterior part of 

 the large superficial transverse muscle, which there supports the 



