1874.] SPECIES OF EUPHYSETES. 261 



channel of the right blow-hole had an opening of its own so that it 

 could throw out a separate jet of water, or, what is more likely, could 

 only add a minute quantity to the main jet thrown out by the left 

 blow-hole, of which more anon. 



The form of the dorsal fin, also, could not be well ascertained, as 

 the hind edge, which is described by MacLeay as nearly perpendi- 

 cular and concave, had in our specimen been torn away previously, 

 the wound being well scarred. 



The small eyes situated so low down the broad head, the pectoral 

 fins of such inconsiderable size, the small mouth being placed, like 

 that of a shark, well back, give to this animal a strange appearance. 

 When first examining the anatomical characters of the skull, it at 

 once became evident that, if not identical with Euphysetes grayii, it 

 would be closely allied to it. 



ft. in. 



Entire length of cranium 1 1*5 



Greatest breadth of cranium (at parietal 



region) 11-2 



Beak from notch, length 5*2 



Beak, breadth at notch 6*1 



Length of beak at occipital bone 5 - 5 



Breadth of beak at occipital bone 6*8 



From these measurements it will be seen that the beak is shorter 

 than broad, but not quite so much truncated and blunt as in Gray's 

 whale. 



However, the most characteristic feature in the skull is the 

 asymmetry of the bones, which makes it appear at first sight that we 

 have a remarkable case of deformity before us. 



MacLeay has given a masterly description of those anomalies, and 

 has shown how, by the great development of some bones, such as the 

 right intermaxillary, and by the stunted form of others, these 

 striking contortions are brought about, by which that remarkable 

 asymmetry is caused — to which I can add nothing, as his description 

 agrees entirely with our New-Zealand skull. 



The blow-holes are exceedingly disproportionate in size, the right 

 one being scarcely the tenth of an inch in diameter, whilst the left 

 is nearly fifteen times as large, of an oblong form, being 1| inch 

 long and 11 inch broad. The rami of the lower jaw are very thin 

 and fragile, and have, like Gray's whale, scarcely any condyles. It 

 agrees also with the latter, except in the position of the teeth, 

 having 13 on each side, which are described by MacLeay as pro- 

 jecting horizontally and being curved upwards. In the New- 

 Zealand species they have the same slender conical form, but stand 

 out sideways with their points curved inwards, the last tooth on 

 each side, however, being curved forward, its hook nearly touch- 

 ing the preceding one ; the first two teeth on each side stand 

 nearly perpendicular to the jaw, whilst the rest incline slightly 

 backward, with the exception of the last tooth, which has again a 

 perpendicular position. All these teeth fit into sockets on both 



