THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC, 93 
(posteriorly) of the centrum of the 33d vertebra is 12 inches, and the neural arch 
and spine 134 inches, making a total of 254 inches. The height of the arch 
and spine is, therefore, about equal to the depth of the centrum, and not “nearly 
double,” as stated in the original description. In skeleton No. 21492 the diameter 
of the centrum of the 34th vertebra! is 9.75 inches, and with the neural arch and 
spine the total height of the vertebra is 18 inches. This character of the lumbar and 
caudal spines is clearly fictitious, and as it was really the principal one on which the 
species osphyia was based, we are justified in the assumption that the type repre- 
sents the ordinary Humpback of our Atlantic coast, and is to be so regarded unless 
other characters than those enumerated by Cope can be detected. 
In 1884, Cope in reviewing my Catalogue of Aquatic Mammals, above 
mentioned (30, 1123-1124), took exception to this view, and accused me of 
inaccuracy in stating that the high neural spines had been put forward as the 
principal character of the species. He quoted from his original description, as fol- 
lows: “The shorter head and fins, the peculiarly high neural spines* and peculiari- 
ties of some of the cervical vertebrae, would seem to distinguish this [species] from the 
longimana.” As, however, a Megaptera with the skull “one-fifth, or less” the total 
length, and the flipper “one-fifth” the total length, as first reported by Cope, would 
be a decided anomaly, I regarded these dimensions with suspicion, and an examina- 
tion of the skeleton showed that they were due to the imperfection of the specimen. 
The characters of the cervicals mentioned by Cope, in so far as they differ from 
those of any specimen of Megaptera, seemed to be of little importance, as above 
noted. The supposed great elevation of the neural spines of the dorsal and lumbar 
vertebree® seemed possible, and hence the really important character; and so, indeed, 
it would be, if established. 
In 1868 Cope (27, 194) made further reference to the type, stating that the 
skeleton (as it then was) measured 34 feet, but that as it lacked some of the caudal 
vertebre and the intervertebral cartilages had shrunk, the proper length was perhaps 
42 feet. He describes several additional features of the skull and skeleton, all of 
which are to be found in the specimen in the National Museum, No. 21492, except 
that which relates to the union of the neural arches of the 3d and 4th cervical 
vertebree. This is, however, an individual rather than a specific character. 
In 1871, in describing another species (29, 107), Cope makes a few additional 
comments on JZ. osphyia. He remarks that in this species “the head and fin are 
even shorter than in JZ. longimana, and the coronoid process equally rudimentar y: 
: The width of the orbital plates Loge al process of the frontal] distally is 
‘6 their length i in the type of JZ. osphyia.” As regards the orbital process of the 
frontal it is to be remarked that the proportions given by Cope for MZ. osphyia are 
the same in the two skulls in the National Museum (Nos. 21492 and 16252) from 
‘The 33d cannot be measured. 
* This refers to the spines of the dorsal and lumbar vertebrz, and not to those of the cervicals. 
1s Vie ake 
* And also of the caudals, as Cope mentions particularly the 33d vertebra among them. It is 
really the 2d caudal. 
