78 Prof. M'liitosli's Notes from the 



exact conditions of the ventral furrows diverges from that 

 seen in the accompanying photograph* of an adult female 

 lately stranded at Crail, on the Forth, and measuring 30 feet 

 in length. For instance, in the figure given by Drs. Carte 

 and Macalister f, the furrows preserve a nearly uniform 

 arrangement from the symphysis of the mandible to the 

 navel, thus resembling corduroy, the figure being less accurate 

 than the description, Avhich is that beneath the mandible 

 the furrows " were flat and inconspicuous, but as they 

 extended down towards the thoracic region they became 

 enlarged and much more numerous ; subsequently, as they 

 ap})roached the al)dominal parietes, they decreased in number 

 but increased in width, being finally lost in the neighbouring 

 skin/' The folds are seen in the photographs given by 

 Sir William Turner, and in one % a single split is observed. 

 This distinguished anatomist states that " the average breadth 

 of the ridges between the furrows immediately below the 

 angle of the mouth was about 1 inch, but further back some 

 Avere as wide as 2 inches. '' Mr. Perrin § specially notes 

 that the folds did not decussate in a female of 13 feet or 

 decrease in nuu.iber from before backward. As no mention 

 is made of the f urrow^s splitting, it is possible that the con- 

 dition in the female stranded at Crail may be exceptional. 

 The total number of the furrows could not be counted, but 

 the majority are shown in the photograj)!), viz. about forty 

 (PI. v.). Just below the eye two of the narrow ridges fuse 

 and continue to the fli[)per, which in the specimen had 

 been removed, so that the downward curvature of the furrows 

 at the axilla could be distinctly seen. In the same way the 

 two furrows following the adjoining one fused just befoi'e the 

 anterior edge of the flipper. An entire ridge followed, 

 M'idcning, like the rest, behind the flipper, and disappearing 

 on the side of the whale. T^hc next two narrow ridges from 

 the angle of the jaw fused slightly in front of the previous 

 pair, the single riilge widening and disappearing as before. 

 An entire ridge came next, followed by another similar in 

 front, but its broad part behind the flipper was split into 

 two moderate ridges, the fork nearly reaching its edge. 

 The succeeding ridge was formed of two narrow ones, 

 which united in a line with the eye. Three ordinary and 

 simple ridges followed, then came another which, a little 

 behind a line with the eye, split into two, which coursed 



* Tiikcn bv Mr. A. W. ]3rown, of tho Gatty Marine Laboratory. 



t riiilofl. Trans, vol. clviii. pi. iv. fif^. 1. 



\ ' .Marine Mammals, University Museum, Edinburgb,' p. (JO (1912). 



§ I'roc. Zool. Sdc. ]H70, p. H()7. 



