80 THE GREENLAND WHALE. 



between the plates as high as the jaw, and acts as 

 abutments to the whalebones, keeping them firm 

 in their places. But this mil be best explained by 

 a reference to the accompanying sketches from 

 Mr. Hunter. (See Plate i. j?, q^ r.) 



(p.) — 1. Is the part analogous to the gum. 



2. A fleshy substance covering the jaw, on which the inner 

 lamina of the plate is formed. 



3. A white substance which surrounds the whalebone, pass 

 ing between the plates to fonn their external laminae. 



4. The part which projects beyond the gum. 



5. The termination of the plate in a kind of hair. 

 Sketch q exhibits a perpendicular section of several plates 



of whalebone in their natural situation ; their inner edges 

 or shoi-test terminations are removed, and the cut edges 

 of the plates seen from the inside of the mouth. The upper 

 part shows the base from wliich they spring, and the white 

 substance in which they grow ; the middle part shows the 

 distance of the plates from each other ; the lower part, the 

 rough surface formed by the hairy termination of each plate. 

 (?•.) — 1. Is the basis on which the plates are formed, which 

 adlieres to the jaw-bone. 



2. 2. The intermediate white substance, laminse of which 

 are continued along the middle layer, and form the substance 

 of the plate of the whalebone. 



3. The outline of another plate. 



4. One of the outer layers growing from the intermediate 

 substance. 



5. The middle layer of the plate, formed on the pulp passing 

 up the centre of the plate. The termination of this layer 

 forms the hair. 



Mr. Himter farther remarks, " that in the 

 gro-vvth of the whalebone three parts appear to be 

 formed; one from the rising cone, which is the 



