148 ON A SKELETON OF A WHALE IN THE 



bones of all for specific identification. Plates I and VIII 

 show these, and the dissimilarity must be (evident to anyone who 

 examines them with care. 



The sternum in the Halifax whale also presents important 

 differences from that of the Vermont one, as plates I and VII 

 show. The various vertebrae in each skeleton present greater or 

 less differences. 



It is perhaps unnecessary to go into a detailed comparison 

 of the two sets of bones. It will be sufficient if a few of the 

 more important points are mentioned. 



As will be seen by comparing the sternums of the two 

 whales, there is a marked dissimilarity in the form. It should 

 be stated here that the two are not shown in the plates on the 

 same scale, hence this must be taken into account in comparing 

 them. The Halifax sternum is shown on plate I a little less 

 than half, exactly 4-9ths, natural size; while the sternum of 

 the Vermont whale, as shown in plate VII, is one-third natural 

 size. It will be noticed that the Halifax specimen is much 

 wider relatively across the top, and tapers more rapidly from 

 the top down, and it is thicker at the top than is the Vermont 

 specimen. The latter is probably longer ; but the lower end of 

 the Halifax bone is broken, so that its actual length cannot be 

 ascertained. 



As to the more important bone, the peri otic, I am happy to 

 be able to quote the opinions of others who are much better able 

 to decide questions in cetacean anatomy than the author. After 

 examination of photographs of the Halifax periotic, Dr. F. W. 

 True wrote as follows: " As regards the Nova Scotia specimen, 

 I think that there is no doubt that it is not Delphinapterus, on 

 account of the shape of the periotic and short lumbar vertebrae. 

 Our skulls- of Monodon, unfortunately, are without the periotics 

 so that I cannot make comparisons of importance, but Van 

 Beneden's and Gervais' figures indicate a shape similar to that 

 shown in your photographs." Much to my regret I could not 



