[15] 



COLLECTING SPECIMENS OF CETACEANS. 



1171 



dinary circumstances ; and what follows relates to the dolphins, por- 

 poises, and other small cetaceans. 



The pelvic hones.— CarQ should be taken (as already intimated on 

 a prior page) to obtain the pelvic bones or rudiments of the hind limbs 

 which lie in the flesh on each side of and near to the vent. 



The pectorals.— Tha flippers may be separated from the shoulder- 

 blade by cuttiBg close to the body and laying bare the joint ; they do 

 not need any j^reparation. 



The fiukes. — Each of the flukes should be cut off near the body (see 

 figure 3) and thrown away. 



The hind part of the hody.~The tail, from the vent backwards, may 

 be cut loose from the body in one piece, and does not need any further 

 preparation, except in very large specimens. 



The head. — The head should be severed from the body, care being 

 taken not to injure the tongue or hyoid bones of the throat. 



Fig. 4. — View of the under side of 

 the sljnll of a whale, showing the 

 position of A A, the ear-hones ; B 

 B, the cheek-hones. 



Fig. 5.— View of the upper side of 

 the skull of a whale, showing the 

 position of A A, the noso-hones. 



The ribs.— The flesh should then be roughly removed from the head 

 and trunk, the ribs cut loose at their junction with the backbone and 

 with the cartilages of the breast bone. 



FacUng the sTceleton.— The whole specimen should then be dried for a 

 short time and packed in barrels or other receptacles with a mixture 

 of dry saw-dust and salt, and a card or other label bearing the sex, 

 date, and locality. 



TooU.—AU the operations referred to sliowld be performed with a 



