Prof. Eschricht on the Gangetic Dolphin. 181 



merits, or at least fitted into each other in such a way, as to 

 exclude every suspicion of some intermediate vertebra being 

 deficient. Until this shall be proved, we must be permitted to 

 assume, that Cuvier's skeleton has wanted four or five, at least three 

 vertebrae ; it being no rare occurrence to meet with a difference 

 of one or two in number in dolphins, but scarcely any greater, 

 at least not where the total number is so small as in the Gangetic 

 species. Throughout the spinal column there is the same dif- 

 ference in the bodies of the vertebrae as in other Cetacea, as to 

 form and size, with this notable deviation, that those of the neck 

 in general resemble more the Balaenopteras than the toothed 

 Whales, especially the Dolphins proper; being not only, as Cuvier 

 remarks, "aussi distinctes que dans aucun quadrupede, et assez 

 fortes bien que courtes;" but the two first are very strong, 

 and each single one has its known character strongly pronounced. 

 Thus, the axis, as compared with that in other whales, has 

 its processus odontoideus strongly developed, and its convex 

 articulating surface is turned more towards the head than the 

 abdomen, while the middle of the anterior arch of the atlas 

 forms a thick plate, which leans backwards on the processus odon- 

 toideus with a corresponding articulating surface. The bodies of 

 the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th cervical vertebrae are small in breadth 

 and height, but contrary to other dolphins, and in conformity 

 with what obtains in whalebone-whales, the common lower trans- 

 verse processes are strongly developed. Cuvier has already noticed 

 this in these words : " II y a un second rang d' apophyses trans- 

 verses, partant du corps de la quatrieme, de la cinquieme et de la 

 sixieme. Ces dernieres surtout sont plus longues que les veri- 

 tables." I may add to this, that they are in reality found also on 

 the third vertebra, the transverse process being so broad at its 

 origin, that it stands in a line with the same processes both below 

 and above, and has, besides, a foramen (though very small) form- 

 ing in reality a ring, like the combined lower and upper trans- 

 verse processes (PI. V. fig. 2), which can only be considered as 

 the bony parts of an otherwise cartilaginous or tendinous ring, 

 which embraces on each side the arteria vertebralis, or that plexus 

 of blood-vessels, which represents it in Cetacea. In M. Rein- 

 hardt's skeleton there is, on the left side of the seventh cervical 

 vertebra, an inferior transverse process, but this is probably an 

 individual deviation only (PI. VII. fig. 4 r ; tt t representing the 

 upper, oo, the lower transverse processes of the sixth vertebra; 

 which is likewise seen from behind, between the proper trans- 

 verse processes, in fig. 3 ; q shows the lower transverse process 

 of the fifth; b, c, the vertebral extremity of the first pair of 

 ribs). The stout and strong transverse process of the second 

 -vertebra, which bends backwards and partly covers those fol- 

 lowing, must be considered as a combination of both processes, 



