FAMILY ZIPHIID^ — TRUE. 37 



In the figures of the Argentine specimen the last ten caudals are practically 

 without characters, and it is perhaps allowable to question whether the terminal 

 two or three were not added to make an even taper to the end of the column. If 

 such be not the case, this specimen had more vertebrae than any other. 



CHARACTERS OF THE VERTEBRA. 



Newport (male). — The seventh cervical vertebra presents a conical metapophysis, 

 which on the first thoracic vertebra forms of a rather thick, long, dechning process 

 ending in a facet for the tubercle of the first rib. This metapophysis maintains 

 nearly the same form as far as the sixth thoracic vertebra, but on the third thoracic 

 a mammiliform process makes its appearance on the anterior margin near the tip, 

 and becomes more prominent on each succeeding vertebra. On the seventh thoracic 

 it becomes larger, thin, and upright, and widely separated from the articular facet 

 for the tubercle of the rib. On the centrum of this vertebra lower down is a second 

 much larger rugose articular facet. On the eighth thoracic vertebra the upper 

 articular process disappears altogether and is replaced by a transverse process on a 

 lower level, with a facet at the free end for the rib. On the ninth thoracic the trans- 

 verse processes are larger and nearly straight. They are longer on the first lumbar 

 and incline a little forward. Those of the succeeding vertebra3 are similar, but 

 decrease gradually in length, while somewhat increasing in breadth. T\\cy are last 

 traceable on the ninth caudal. On the eighth caudal the}' are perforated bj' a 

 foramen. 



All the vertebras from tlie first cervical l^ackward have neural spines as far as 

 and including the eleventh caudal. Tlie spine on the first thoracic is rather short, 

 narrow and pointed. These spines increase in height in succeeding vertebrje as for 

 as the sixth lumbar; at the same time the breadth increases antero-posteriorly and 

 the tip becomes expanded. The spines are nearly equally high on all the succeed- 

 ing lumbars, but begin to decrease on the caudals and disappear altogether on the 

 eleventh caudal. 



The anterior zj^gapophyses and metapophyses maintain a nearly constant 

 position close to the top of the centra throughout the column, from the seventh 

 thoracic backward, and are vertical, thin, and oblong, squared or rounded. They 

 begin to decrease in size noticeably on the first caudal, and on the seventh caudal 

 are mere swellings at the sides of the nearly horizontal plate from which the neural 

 spine springs. They are traceable as far as the twelfth caudal. 



A ridge appears on the side of the neural arch near its base on the fifth caudal 

 and is stronger and verj^ marked on those following, to the ninth caudal. A ridge 

 unites the anterior and posterior facets for the chevrons on the ninth and succeeding 

 caudals. 



Barnegat Gdy (female).— Unlike the Newport skeleton, there are no neural 

 spines on the fifth, sixth, and seventh cervicals. The spine on the first thoracic 

 vertebra is quite short and sharp, and on the second, third, and fourth thoracics also 

 is rather pointed, though of increased length. There is no metapophysis on the 

 seventh cervical. 



