2. POESCOPIA. 51 



6. Megaptera osphyia. 

 Megaptera osphyia, Cope, Proc. Acad. Nat. Set. Philad. 1865, p. 4. 



Inhab. Atlantic. Skeleton, Mus. Niagara. 



" A second and more full examination of the Mega'ptera osphyia, 

 Cope, furnishes the following additional points and characters. The 

 specimen is young, and measures in its present condition 34 feet. 

 It has, however, lost a considerable number of caudal vertebrae, and, 

 from the posterior part of the column, of intervertebral cartilages 

 also ; add to this the shrinking of the cartilages preserved, and the 

 increase of length would perhaps amount to 8 feet, giving 42 in all. 

 The asserted length of 50 feet, line measurement, which I quoted in 

 my original description, is no doubt an exaggeration. 



*' The glenoid process is margined by an angular prominence, the 

 rudiment of the coracoid, precisely as in the M. brasiliensis. The 

 diapophysis of the atlas is a flat vertical plate, extending from op- 

 posite the base of the foramen dentatum to opposite the widest point 

 of the spinal canal; inferior posterior outline of the atlas broad, 

 slightly concave mesially. The mandible is peculiar in the strong 

 angular process, which extends from behind, round the side, project- 

 ing as far as the condyle, and separated from it by a deep groove. 

 The third and fourth cervicals are united by the neural arch. The 

 first rib is very broad at the extremity ; length 37 inches, width at 

 end 8-22 inches. The orbital processes of the frontal bone are not 

 contracted at the extremities as in M. longimana, but are more as in 

 BalcenoptercB ; entire width over and within edge of orbit 15| in. ; 

 length to vertical plate of maxillary 31 inches. The baleen mea- 

 sures 2 feet in length, is black, with three rows of coarse bristles. 

 Its base is one curve ; its length is spirally twisted. The species is 

 probably one of the largest of the Balcenidce." — Cope, Proc. Acad. 

 Nat. Sci. Philad. 1868, p. 194. 



7. Megaptera versabilis. 



Megaptera vorsabilis, Cope, Pr. Acad. Nat. Sci Phil 1869, p. 17, 

 figs. 5&G. 



Inhab. North Pacific, Californian coast. 



2. POESCOPIA. 



Poescopia, Gray, I. c. p. 113 j Synops. Whales 8{ Dolph. p. 2. 

 Bladebone with small coracoid process. Body of cervical ver- 

 tebrae nearly square. 



1. Poescopia Lalandii. B.M. 



Poescopia Lalandii, Gray, I. c. pp. 126 (fig. 19, p. 125), 373 ; Synops. 

 Whales Sf Dolph. p. 2, tab. 33. f. 3, 4 (vertebrae, from Cuvier). 



Inhab. Cape of Good Hope. Skeleton, Mus. Paris. 



e2 



