1886.] 



MR. R. COLLETT ON BAL^NOPTEUA BOREALIS. 



243 



B,. arvalis, let him read Pfliiger's account of experiments on the 

 crossing of the German frogs. Dissidents from the modern views on 

 the specific distinctions of the forms of R. temporaria have of late 

 become very few. That there should be at the present day a 

 naturalist to express the opinion that R. arvnlis is the male and 

 R. temporaria the female of the same species, and a herpetologist, who 

 professes to know European Frogs, to reproduce such nonsense with 

 the remark "should this discovert/ be confirmed it will afford an 

 unexpected solution to the controversy," may appear incredible, but 

 is unfortunately true. 



APPENDIX. 



The following paper, originally intended for the ' Transnctions,' 

 has been ordered by the Committee of Pubhcations (at the request of 

 the Author) to be printed in this part of the ' Proceedings ': — 



On the Extei'nal Characters of Rudolplii's Rorqual [Baheno- 

 ptera borealis). By Robert Collett, C.M.Z.S.* 



[Eeceived January 4, 1886 : read February 2, 188().] 

 (Plates XXV., XXVI.) 



Contents. 



I. Introductory Eemarks, p. 243. 

 II. General Characters, p. 24(5. 



III. Measurements, p. 248. 



IV. Structure of the Body, p. 248. 

 V. Colour, p. 249. 



VI. Flippers and other external 

 characters, p. 252. 

 VII. Baleen, p. 253. 

 VIII. Blow-holes and furrows, p. 255. 

 IX. Hairy covering, p. 255. 



X. Parasites, p. 255. 

 XI. Time of capture, p. 259. 

 XII. Foetus, p. 260. 



XIII. Food, p. 261. 



XIV. Habits, p. 263. 

 XV. Value, p. 263. 



XVI. Monstrosities, p. 264. 

 XVII. Synopsis of the four northern 

 species of Balcenoptera, 

 p. 264. 



I. Introductory Remarks. 



Although our knowledge of Balcenoptera borealis has been con- 

 siderably increased during the last few years, still almost all researches 

 have been confined to its anatomical structure, and no complete 

 description has hitherto been given of its external characters. 

 Even up to the year 1882 the species was only known from a small 

 number of stranded specimens, the skeletons of which had found 

 their way into different museums ; but of the external characters of 



* [Mr. A. Heneage Cocks, F.Z.S., has kindly added some footnotes, which 

 are designated by his initials. — Ed. | 



