1864. ] DR. J. E. GRAY ON BRITISH CETACEA, 215 
This theory of the limited number of species of Whales greatly 
destroys the value of M. Eschricht’s observations on the anatomy of 
Whales, in his papers in the ‘ Danish Transactions ;’ for he constantly 
speaks of variations which would only be true if they were found in 
the same kind of Whales, but are peculiarities and important differ- 
ences when they are found in different species or kinds of animals. 
_3. PHySALUS. 
Pectoral fin moderate. Dorsal fin faleate, three-fourths the entire 
length from nose. Cervical vertebrz all free; the second with a 
broad, expanded lateral process, with a large hole in the upper part 
of its base. Tympanic bone oblong, elongate. Vertebrae 54-64. 
First ribs simple, compressed, not divided, with a compressed internal 
process near the condyle. 
Physalus, Lacép.; Gray, P. Z.S. 1847, 88; Cat. Cetac. 34, 1850. 
Physalis, Fleming, B. A. 1828. 
Physelus, Rafin. 
Balena tripennis, Ray (Razorback). 
Balenopterus, sp., Lacép. 
Balenoptera, sp., Lacép. 
Pterobalena, sp., Eschr. 
The upper maxillary bone is rather broad, gradually tapering, 
with a straight outer edge; the intermaxillaries are moderate, and 
the nasal very small. The frontal bone is broad and short, suddenly 
narrowed on the outer side, and truncated over the orbit. The 
lower jaw slender, arched, with a distinct elevated ramus near the 
base (see Eschr. & Reinh. p. 544). The atlas vertebra with a sub- 
circular body ; the lateral processes cylindrical and near the middle 
of the side. The second cervical vertebra has a broad, more or less 
elongated lateral process, which is pierced near the base with an 
oblong perforation. The upper margin of the perforation is nar- 
row, and the lower edge much broader. The other cervical vertebrae 
have two lateral processes, which are often united at the ends into 
a more or less broad ring. The body of the cervical vertebree is ob- 
long, transverse, broader than high. The neural arch is long, with 
an oblong transverse canal for the spinal marrow, which is much 
broader than it is high. The front ribs compressed, thin, with a 
broad, more or less elongated expansion on the inner edge near the 
condyle. The scapula high, with a broad coracoid process near the 
joint. 
; The baleen forms three or four concentric lines on the palate, the 
rows forming transverse lines. The plates of the inner rows are 
short, of the outer elongate triangular ; they are all fringed on the 
inner oblique side. (See Ravin, Ann. Sci. Nat. v. 270, t. 11. f. 5- 
10; see also Rosenthal, Abhandl. K. Acad. Berlin, 1827, 127.) 
The shape of the lateral process of the second cervical vertebra 
seems to be a good character of the genus. The perforation at the 
base of it is rather above the middle of the base of the process, so 
