THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 



101 



SKELETON EXTRA MEASUREMENTS. 



Inches, 



Greatest breadth of atlas .......................................... 20.5 



height " " .......................................... 13. 



" axis .......................................... 13.5' 



breadth of ist dorsal ...................................... 19.5 



height " " " ...................................... 14.5' 



breadth of ist lumbar .................................... 29.5 



height " " " .................................... 22.' 



breadth of ist caudal ..................................... 26.' 



height " " " ..................................... 23.5' 



LENGTH OF TRANSVERSE PROCESSES OF CERVICALS. 



In the type-skull of M. bellicosa the anterior margin of the orbital plate of the 

 frontal is nearly straight, as mentioned by Cope. The supraoccipitals are concave 

 in the middle and bulbous on the sides, but the difference in this respect between 

 this skull and No. 21492 U.S.N.M. from Cape Cod, Mass., is not great. There is 

 a median ridge on the occipitals. The median inferior crest of the vomer termin- 

 ates suddenly at the posterior end in M. betticosa, while in No. 21492 U.S.N.M. it 

 dies away gradually. The right nasal bone appears to have been lost. The left is 

 preserved, and does not correspond with Cope's figures (all of which are very de- 

 fective). It does agree with the nasals of skull No. 21492 U.S.N.M. The extreme 

 length of the left nasal is 9^- in.; breadth opposite the distal end of the inner margin, 

 4 in.; breadth of nasal orifice opposite extremity of outer margin of left nasal, 9-J in.; 

 depth of left nasal, 9 in. 



The vertebrae preserved are cervicals, 17; dorsals, 14; lumbars, 10; caudals, 

 13; total, 44. The caudals missing are probably the 4th, 17th, 15th, 17th to 20th 

 or 21st; in all 8 or 9, making a probable total for the skeleton of 52 or 53 ver- 

 tebrae. The atlas has no distinct spine, but a crest about \ inch high. The total 

 height of the 32d vertebra is 22^ in., of which the neural arch and spine comprise 

 12^ in. and the centrum 10 in. The scapula has a rudiment of a coracoid process, 

 as in other specimens of Megaptera. 



1 Median. 



3 Twice one half. 



* Posterior. 



* Including process for chevron ; posterior. 



