208 THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 
forming complete bony rings, a condition not found in the Norwegian Vaagehval. 
Van Beneden (8, 161) brought together some facts tending to show that this was 
not a matter of importance from a systematic point of view. His observations on 
the condition of the lateral processes of the cervicals in various specimens, with 
those quoted from Eschricht, Flower, and Gray, are as follows: 
BALAINOPTERA ACUTO-ROSTRATA LAC. GREENLAND AND EUROPE. CERVICAL VERTEBR®. 
8 nae 3 Z., 
gE 88 inks EB ee a 
Gel 3 Oo. cae -o# bo oe 
a os 625 Eg I >2 5 yep) fs) Gs 
eS RIES LIS GA > S80 een Bo 
eS aa 2 ao Fa 8 aeons ie 
o fe] o Ne} o os - 5 — = eh Ee cof 
eee a tel Len | aes ree a=] 
Vertebra. Oo 2 CEs Oo wp a E O§ 5 
5 ma 2 & 8 bi feo ES 
id so 
a wn Ss oh Sr 
1G; R L, R L R. L R 1; R L R 
? 
IMB acb.oG0b000, Cone sa0n nape. doade SW eS eS OS MS Ox x ex = |= x || 3 
BONCELVIGAl ler eidtepucr cei r ter ioker eens = 0 a | cee | a | =|=—{ i= | = 
AthéGervicall fons ye eretveataistors dense = |= fis | = See ffl a ee ed |p ||P a ee 
ly CNM od oooggagaeoe+ sOpe ae = | = I= | = ise |e We J] a] fH SH TP = HS S| 
6th cervical .............-.-.+-- —-}/-j—/]-jx]x ye We ah Se Il = | = 
Ghia Sapte sou noc.7d000900n 0000 be —|- mes He |S ees i SE ee a esi 
> = Complete ring formed by union of lateral processes. 
en Wwettside: 
R. = Right side. 
Perhaps the most important of these specimens is the one in the British 
Museum. The skull of this, according to Gray, was 46.6 in. long, hence the whole 
animal was probably not far from 18 feet, the length of Eschricht’s specimens. 
Yet only the axis had complete osseous rings. The same was the case with the 
Greenland specimen in the Louvain Museum, but the size of this is not given by 
Van Beneden. 
As Eschricht did not figure the coronoid process of his Greenland specimens, 
it is impossible to estimate the importance of the character drawn from its shape 
and size. Fortunately, Gray’s figure of the skull of the Greenland form, in his 
Zoélogy of the Voyage of the Hrebus and Terror, shows this part.'. I am unable 
to see that it presents any characters of importance. It is about as high as in 
Norwegian specimens. 
The same is true as regards the lateral distortion of the maxille. This does 
not appear to be more or less in the Greenland skull than in Norwegian skulls. 
The characters mentioned by Eschricht, taken as a whole, do not therefore 
appear of special importance. If the small Greenland Finback is to be distinguished 
it must be by means of other peculiarities. Eschricht himself mentions one several 
times, but does not appear to regard it as of any importance as a diagnostic charac- 
Sh lS2pascs 
