496 Miscellaneous. 



In the laboratory of M. P. Gervais they are engaged in mounting 

 the skeleton of another very interesting whale, sent from New Zea- 

 land by Mr, Hutton of Dunedin. Of this species there are only two 

 skeletons in Europe : — one at the British Museum, which was in 

 great part described by J. E. Gray ; the other at the above-mentioned 

 laboratory, and on which M. Gervais has lately published some 

 notes with figures in his ' Journal de Zoologie.' I had scarcely seen 

 this skeleton of Macleayius when I immediately recognized its great 

 resemblance to that of Balcp.na hiscayensis at Naples, although the 

 two species cannot be united into one. 



Measured in a straight line the [skull of] the Macleayius is 2-43 

 metres, and following the outer contour 2*76. In consequence of 

 the great development of the intermaxillary bones, the maxillaries 

 cannot come into contact with the bones of the nose, and the 

 minimum distance between the maxillary and the occipital is 

 reduced to 0-02 metre. Following the outer contour, the length of 

 the intermaxillaries is 2-07 metres ; their anterior extremities are 

 separated by 0-10 metre. 



In a straight line the length of the palatine is 0-49 metre. The 

 frontal, in its median portion, is only 10-11 centims, in length ; it 

 presents no protuberance. The distance in a straight line between 

 the two postorbital apophyses of the frontal is 1-63 metre, and 

 following the outer contour 2-04 metres. The postorbital apophysis 

 exceeds that of the temporal by 3 or 4 centims. ; and their minimum 

 distance is only 23 millims. The squamosal portion of the occi- 

 pital is 0*65 metre long and 0-63 broad ; it presents no median crest. 

 Its greatest lateral depression, as in B. hiscayensis, is 0*05 metre. 



The zygomatic and glenoid apophyses of the temporal are less 

 distinct than in B. hiscayensis. 



Following the outer contour of the mandible its length is 2*47 

 metres, and in a straight line 2*16 ; its maximum height at a dis- 

 tance of 20 centims. from the coronoid apophysis is 0-285 metre. 



The right tympanic bulla has a maximum length of 12 centims. ; 

 its breadth, taken at the middle, is 8 centims. The contour of its 

 lower surface affects the oval form less than that of B. hiscayensis 

 and antipodum. On the lower surface there is a well-marked and 

 nearly median longitudinal depression, about 2 centims. broad. 

 The two apophyses of the petrous portion are well developed. 



The vertebrae of the cervical region are firmly united, but all very 

 distinct laterally, except a small lower portion of the third, which 

 for a distance of 7 centims. is confounded with the fourth on the 

 left side. The width of the atlas is 48 centims. 



There are thirteen dorsal and thirteen lumbar vertebrae. Upon 

 the ninth dorsal the muscular or accessory apophysis is already very 

 distinct. The transverse apophyses of the third and fourth lum- 

 bars are nearly perpendicular to the body of the vertebra. The 

 spinal artery passes directly across the base of the transverse apo- 

 physis of the fifth caudal. The last rudiments of transverse apo- 

 physes are observed on the tenth and eleventh caudals. The last 



