162 ON A SKELETON OF A WHALE IN THE 



After a somewhat careful study of all the different speci- 

 mens given in the foregoing list, the following conclusions have 

 been reached by the author as to the specific position which 

 should be occupied by these specimens. Very fortunately, in 

 both the Eedpath Museum a'nd that at Ottawa there was a well- 

 mounted skeleton, of D. leucas close at hand, so that com- 

 parisons were readily made. As the measurements show, 

 there is no great difference in the size of the three skeletons, 

 Vermont, Cornwall and Montreal, which are sufficiently com- 

 plete to make any comparison worth while. The Cornwall 

 skeleton at Ottawa is rather larger,, and the Smith's brickyard 

 one at Montreal rather smaller than the Vermont, but as they 

 are somewhat differently set up, and especially, as the Ottawa 

 specimen alone has anything to take the places of the inter- 

 vertebral cartilages, exact comparison is not possible. 



From comparison of separate bones it seems to the author 

 most probable that the Vermont specimen a'nd the most perfect 

 one in the Redpath Museum are identical, and are sufficiently 

 different from the modern 1). leucas to warrant placing thorn 

 as at least a distinct variety, if not species. Had not a species 

 been already established by Thompson and long well-known, it 

 might seem best to regard the fossils as belonging to a "small 

 variety of I), leucas rather than to add a new specific name ; but 

 as it is, it seems best to allow Thompson's species vermontanus 

 to stand. 



The reasons for separating the fossil from the recent forma 

 have alreadv been given. 



The Cornwall whale presents greater resemblance to the 

 modern species than either of the others, and I agree fully with 

 those who have considered it identical. If only we had the ear 

 bones, it would probably be possible to speak with more certain 

 conviction as to the above. As it is, the author would state what 

 hai been said rather as his opinion than as an indisputable fact. 



