_- REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [16] 
knife; never with a saw or ax, If there is time and inclination, in- 
stead of packing the roughed-out skeleton it would be better to soak 
the bones in water and scrape them from time to time with a dull 
knife. As already. stated on p. 13, the care with which a specimen 
should be prepared depends upon the time which will elapse before 
it will reach its destination and the amount of oil which it contains. 
Most desirable parts.—If it is not feasible to preserve the whole 
skeleton, the most desirable parts are the skull, flippers, lower jaw, 
ear-bones, or (in the whalebone whales) the nose-bones or pieces of 
* whalebone. 
The skull.—The skull should have the flesh roughly removed and if 
possible be soaked and scraped. Care should be taken not to break 
the delicate malar or cheek bone which forms the lower border of the 
eye-socket. The flippers need no preparation unless large; they may 
be dried. 
Ear-bones.—The ear-bones are represented by two rounded or oblong 
bony masses at the back and under part of the skull. With a little 
care they are readily detached. (See fig. 4, p. 15.) 
Nose-bones.—The nose-bones of the large whalebone whales lie at the 
extreme upper end of the great front opening of the nose, in the mid- 
dle line of the skull. In large specimens they do not exceed four or 
five inches in length. They are very important in identifying species. © 
(See fig. 5, p. 15.) 
A KEY FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIMENS. . 
In the subjoined key for the identification of the different tribes or 
genera of whales and porpoises an attempt has been made to employ 
only such characters as relate to the external appearance. This is 
somewhat ditticult for the reason that some genera which are very much 
alike externally differ very much internally. Of course, the genera 
whose names stand near each other in this key are not necessarily — 
closely related; in the classification which is given on page 19 an at- 
tempt is made to bring the related forms together as well as may be, 
when the names are placed in a line, one after another. The figures 
(see plates I-XI) to which the numbers in parentheses relate are in- 
tended to show as nearly as may be the general form of some character- 
‘ istic species of each genus. They have been selected from the best 
figures which are to be found in the available scientific literature, and 
from photographs and sketches, but some are known to be imperfect. 
Of the genera Agaphelus, Neobalena, and Feresia no figures exist. The 
lengths given are those of average adult specimens. 
Key to the names of genera. 
[To use this key begin at a’, and if the specimen in hand agrees with 
the description there given, pass to the letter with the next jfigure which 
stands immediately underneath. If the specimen does not agree with 
