PROVINCIAL MUSEUM, HALIFAX, N. 8. PERKINS. 159 



thereto seem to be essentially similar to -the corresponding parts 

 of the skeleton of the Beluga from Cornwall Pleistocene and 

 that of a recent specimen of the white whale from Metis in the 

 museum of the survey." 



In Bulletin 179, U. S. Geological Survey, Mr. O. P. llav 

 Enumerates seventy-eight species of fossil cetacea. Most of 

 these species are not now living. Of the whole number, forty- 

 three are found in the Miocene, eleven in the Eocene, seventeen 

 in the Tertiary, epoch not stated,, and six in the Pleistocene. 

 There is one species not assigned. Of the six Pleistocene 

 species, one found in Louisiana is a doubtful fossil^, Physeter 

 macro cephalus. Another, Physeter veins, is from South Carol- 

 ina, one from Vermont, Delphinapterus Vermont anus, one from 

 Alaska, Monodon monoceros, two from Canada, Delphinapterus 

 leucas and Megaptera boops. To the above should be added the 

 Halifax specimen, that from Pakenham, and sundry isolated 

 bones found in Canada, all of which are given in the foregoing 

 list. 



As many of the references given show, nearly all of 

 the Canadian specimens have been referred, by those geologists 

 who have had occasion to mention them, either to the living 

 Delphinapterus leucas or to Thompson's D. verrnontanus, 

 mostly to the former. 



In those specimens which are very imperfect, it is not 

 possible to determine as to the correctness of these identifica- 

 tions, since the resemblances, which always exist in most of the 

 bones of allied species of cetacea, are so close as to render separ- 

 ation useless. This would be emphatically true when, only a 

 few vertebrae were found. When the periotic is present it 

 should be possible to come to more satisfactory conclusions. 



Dr. Dawson says that the Cornwall specimen was compared 

 by Mr. Billings with recent bones of D. leucas, a<nd as a result 

 of this comparison Mr. Billings " concluded that it belonged to 

 the modern species, and I believe extended his conclusion to Mr. 



