THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 201 
BALAINOPTERA ACUTO-ROSTRATA LAC. EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN. VERTEBRAL FORMULA. 
Sex | 
Locality. and] C. D. L. Ca. Total. Authority. 
Age. 
NOK WAY, csyerspeasanc/sistereissteteie: erro ie tey/ Il 12 18 48 Eschricht.! 
(Normal) irons cece see Aeole ta ny) II 13 17 48 Van Beneden. 
(BexgentMuss) icc cer- <)> co sa00}ogoe || “doo0 || Isaac || sosnas 49 Van Beneden. 
we BOE Scie Cmmnicrceiee, DOB RoDoy| | cose! ouced|.  asosed 46 Van Beneden. 
WopgersBanioeepisretncmtctans S56 on7/ Ir 12 18 48 Flower. 
North Cape rele <tr) ere = s/e1eore Stal |oarcel | eroee Moore oad 47 Van Beneden. 
(Cambridge Mus.).......... Sreate lies, sae a|lficecorec cual elevate: al reisancte 47 Van Beneden. 
(BrusselsiMis,) 52st: one “fooo|l ee It 12 17+ 47+ Flower. 
Gherbotr pam hiraneessers ot 1)-| (savers crs rarciiliecetveroe ||leete vera li werevesevers 46 (+ ?)| Lacépéde. 
Greenland wo. ciscnvs wwe da 5 |e | II Beare eee eekde ne Flower. 
Queensferry, Scotland...... Beal cy Il 12 19 49 (Knox). Corrected by Turner. 
((Breslan’Mus.) etch c cess 3 AA eas Meet cia ll acenttael Raeee eae 48 Barkow. ue os us 
Granton, Scotland......... g 7 II 13 19 50 Turner, 1892. (Especially accurate.) 
Drogheda, Ireland......... @ 7 II 13 m+ 46-+ |Carte and Macalister. 
Cromer, England.......... $ 7 II 12 20 49 Flower, 
Coast of Norway........... Riealll) if Il 12 18 48 Malm. 
Bergen, NOrwayisicie. «<>< ojrs| (7 II 12 18 48 Malm. 
(  Lesnboupoage jr. 7 II 13° |15(-++1or 2)|46(+ 1 or2) | Malm. 
Wergeroux, Prance......... 3 7 II 13 16 47 Fischer. 
Bergen, (Paris Mus.)....... Saad 9 II 12 18 48 Fischer. 
Mass. (20931, U. S. N. M.).}....] 7 at 12 18 48? Be We. 
The agreement as regards number of dorsal vertebrae shown in the foregoing 
table is quite remarkable, and is in contrast with the variation found in other 
species of Balenoptera, and among the Cetacea generally. It will be seen also that 
the lumbars show a variation of but one. The variation in number of caudals, ex- 
clusive of that due to defects, probably does not exceed two. Eschricht remarks 
as follows regarding the vertebral formula of the Norwegian Vaagehval (36, 322) : 
“Tn all the foetuses of the Vaagehval examined by me, I found, 48 vertebra, of 
which 7 were cervicals, 11 dorsals, 12 lumbars, and 18 caudals; furthermore, this 
was exactly the number of vertebra in the whole spine and in each of its different 
sections, not only in the complete Vaagehval skeleton from Bergen examined by me 
and the specimen examined in Christiania in 1844 (p. 304) as well as that sent 
from the west coast of Jylland in 1841 ( Videns. Se/s. Skr., 11, p. 175), but also 
in the three small finback skeletons sent down from Greenland. Likewise, accord- 
ing to both Governor Christie’s written communication regarding those Bergen 
Vaagehval skeletons which did not come under my observations, and Dr. Kréyer’s 
statements relative to the skeletons of Vaagehvals preserved in the Bergen Museum 
(Naturh. Tidskr., 2, p. 634), this numerical proportion may be considered constant 
in the species.” 
CHEVRONS. 
The number of chevrons in European specimens is usually nine, but some- 
times eight. The number in the Massachusetts specimen is nine. 
BALA{NOPTERA ACUTO-ROSTRATA LAC. EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN. NUMBER OF CHEVRONS. 
Locality. Number, Authority. 
Drogheda irelandyaercccecr ass: ave ats erie ae Obgetericve sr escis Carte and Macalister. 
Bergen, Norway....... of sfeherssasi||. “asx qvaltaeausters GG Pena earner Malm. 
“cc “ce “ee 
Behan oo Hn Bois |e eaik sil decataverse (Que eieretausiore es 
CoasttoteNonwayjyrrceddii. «ciel ciecieres ure OR eer sre, dicts ue 
(Cromer, skies cn. ouesoaeees|  Goobedoacc @) sagucoesec Flower. 
Grantonsscotland assem aeaccic|) | etl: erctratnO Mr terete cies Turner. 
Harwichport, Mass., No. 20931..| .......--- G) Beco mOsEOS Ey Wek: 
'*Tn all the foetuses of the Vaagehval examined by me, I found 48 vertebra.” —EsCHRICHT. 
* Should probably add one for penultimate caudal. 
