130 



the sketch of this carpus was made immediately after removing the flesh of 

 this pectoral flipper, so that the figure shows the correct position of the 

 little bones. 



As the illustration shows, 7 bony nuclei are distinguishable from the 

 outside but a closer examination of the interior of the flipper-skeleton evokes 

 the idea that immediately on the radial side of the two inferior carpalia, there 

 exist two more separate little bones, bringing up the total to 9. 



The metacarpalia do not deviate from the type of the phalanges, being 

 merely somewhat larger. 



The digits show a very regular construction as regards the shape of 

 the phalanges. These are firmer and sturdier on the radial side, becoming 

 more flattened on the ulnar side; this then corresponds with the heavier front 

 edge of the brea'5'tflipper and the rearward attenuation of this extremity. 

 According to the illustration the formula for the phalanges would be: 4,5,4,4. 

 But it must be taken into account that the terminations of both flippers were 

 damaged, so that very likely one or more terminal phalanges are missing. 



The pelvic rudiments (coxae) consist of two symmetrically shaped bones 

 only 45 c.M. long which are accurately each other's specular images and 

 can therefore not be in the least irregular, though this is mostly stated. The 

 picture (fig. 43) represents the interior- and exterior aspect of the dexter 

 pelvic bone. The flat and pointed part of this (upright in the drawing, but 

 whose natural position is forward sligtly tilted upwards) represents the ilium, 

 whilst the thicker lower end represents the ischium and the median knobby 

 and somewhat outwardly arched part stands for the pubis. 



On comparing this figure with the corresponding illustration from Balae- 

 noptera musculus L., in Weber (7) p. 559, fig. 415 no. 3, showing a great 

 similarity to the pictures aüer Balaenoptera physalus L., given in fig. 1 and 12 p. 

 150; and fig. 16 and 17, p. 154, in Abel (1), we notice distinctly how the pelvic 

 rudiments in the latter illustrations bear a more elongated character than in 

 the case studied by us. In the Buitenzorg skeleton the pelvis is somewhat 

 heavier and broader, especially because the ilium part is considerably shorter, 

 the termination of the ischium being also rounder and more thickened than in 

 the illustrations referred to. 



