10 CETACEA. 



narrow, elongate, linear, very gradually tapering, fringed on the 

 inner edge with numerous fine, soft, flexible fibres of a nearly 

 uniform length, consisting internally of a thin layer formed of 

 several series of fibres, covered on each side by a thick coat of 

 enamel. Throat and belly smooth, not plaited. Dorsal fin none. 



The seven cervical vertebrae are soldered together, and some- 

 times the first dorsal is equally soldered to the cervical. Duver- 

 noy in Cuvier, Anat. Comp. ed. 2. i. 195. 



They live in the ocean, but come into the shallow and shel- 

 tered bays to bring forth their young. 



The foetus has no appearance of whalebone on the palate, and 

 the lips are very large, and longly depending over the sides of the 

 under jaw. 



Balsena, sp. Linn.; Illiger, Prod. 142, 1811. 

 Balsena, Rafin. Anal. Nat. 61, 1815; Lacepede. 

 Baloena, Lesson, N. Tab. Reg. Anim. 202. 

 Balaena a, Fischer, Syn. Mam. 521. 



" The length, so is the breadth (of the baleen), a mere conse- 

 quence of the extreme narrowness of the palate in the Mysticete 

 compared to that in the Balcena (Physalus) maximus." Knox, 

 Cat. Whale, 29. 



Through the kindness of Messrs. Smith and Simmonds, and 

 Mr. Smith of Messrs. W. Westall & Co., Whale-fin Merchants, 

 I have been enabled to examine and compare numerous species 

 of the whalebone or baleen received from different countries, 

 and to compare their peculiarities as exhibited during its prepa- 

 ration. 



The fins or whalebones of each series together are called a 

 "side of bone;" the largest are in the middle, from whence 

 they gradually diminish away to nothing at each extremity : the 

 largest firi on the side is called the " sample blade." 



They know in the trade three distinct kinds. 1 . The Greenland, 

 from Greenland, Davis' Straits, and various parts of the North 

 Sea, which is the best. 2. The South Sea, or Black fish whale- 

 fin brought by the South Sea Whalers. And 3. The North-west 

 Coast, or American whale-fin, which was first imported about 

 five years ago, and at first sold for a high price, but it has now 

 fallen, and is considered as only a large kind of South Sea ; but 

 from the examination I have been able to make, I should believe 

 that these three kinds are each produced by very different species 

 of whales. 



The three kinds are very different in shape. The outer edge 

 of the Greenland is curved considerably ; in that of the North- 

 west Coast it is much more straight, and in that of the South Sea 

 almost quite straight. Figs. 3, 4 and 5, in Plate I. (of the Zoology 



