NORTH-CAROLINA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 207 



sembles the B. gibbosa somewhat in its configuration at the 

 posterior end, where the riin is continued around it, as it were, 

 but in the gibbosa, it rises from near the base, while in the 

 mysticetvides it rises higher and is surrounded by deep sinu- 

 ous indentations. It resembles also the B. emarginata in the 

 existence of a concavity on the inferior border of the thick 

 convex part, but is much less ; the overarching wall exceeds 

 very much in extent that of the emarginata. 



The figure 27 differs from the affinis in its prominent and 

 distinctly defined convex involution. It resembles the B. de- 

 finita somewhat, in its posterior truncation ; but the involuted 

 part is more prominent, and has a strong ridge or prominence 

 on the border near its slope to the concavity ; but it resem- 

 bles still more closely the B. gibbosa, in the form of the con- 

 vex part, but the thinner overarching wall is more extensive 

 and broader at the eustachian termination, and the shape of 

 the posterior end differs from it materially, particularly in the 

 strong angle of the extreme of the overarching wall. 



It differs from the B. emarginata, in having a prominence 

 at the base of the involuted thick part instead of an emargi- 

 nation. 



The figure 28 differs from the B. affinis in its prominent in- 

 voluted part, and distinct form or separation from the concave 

 overarching part ; from the B. definita by its prolonged pos- 

 terior part, in which respect it differs also from the gibbosa 

 and from emarginata by its absence of this particular char- 

 acter, and by the presence of strong sugar upon the part next 

 the concavity. 



CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EAR-BONE OF THE COMMON WHALE OF 



THE COAST. 



The ear-bone of the Balena Mystictus, the common whale 

 of the coast, in my possession, measured, rather diagonally 

 over the thick convoluted part, is 5J inches long;- the great- 

 est thickness is 3 inches and 3 tenths ; the depth or height of 

 the convoluted part is 3 inches ; greatest height measured to 

 the top of the thin convolution 4 inches and 4 tenths. The 



