246 



DB. J. MUEIE ON THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CAAING WHALE. 



among other forms ; and Professor Huxley ', who appears to support his views, instances 

 the Tapir as having the ethmoidal turbinals posterior to the maxillaiy ones. Although 

 the latter statement must be admitted, I will nevertheless confine myself to this animal, 

 and more especially to a Ruminant, as excellent types, leading me to believe the Cetacean 

 nasal sacs are not at all modified turbinals. 



The Ruminant markedly possessing the shortest nasal bones, and therefore "Whale- and 

 Tapir-like in this respect, is the Saiga [Saiga tarfarica). Moreover this Ruminant, like 

 the Tapir, has a soft narial proboscis — shorter no doubt ; but also as in that animal it 

 has well-developed turbinal bones, the maxillary one of which, if not quite in advance of 

 the ethmoidal, is at least nearly so. But both these animals have other nasal structures 

 simulating closely, if not indeed the veritable homologues of, the Cetacean spiracular 

 sinuses and their rudimentary nasal cartilages. 



Adverting first to the Saiga", I have found on dissection its protruberant snout to 



Fig. 2. 



A partial upper view of the face of the male Saiga, 

 with the nares opened on both sides, so as to 

 display the parts which I deem homologous 

 with the spiraciilar cavity and appendages of 

 Whales. 



-A^fl, shortened nasal bones, from wkich runs forwards {ul.c) 

 the upper lateral cartilages comprising also the alar ; a 

 narrow fibrous cord (/.) is continued anteriorlj' into the 

 soft patulous nares ; mt and it denote respectively the 

 middle and internal turbinals ; arrows in contrar}' direc- 

 tions indicate the course of the main narial passjige ; n.f, 

 sulcus corresponding to the naso-frontal c;inal of Cete ; 

 Wi, inner orifii-e of the maxillary sinus or sac, the dots 

 giving its entire outline; p. palatal recess agreeing with 

 Cetacean premaxillary sacs. 



be made up of tegument, carneous substance, vessels, and nerves, lined with a delicate 

 mucous membrane. The muscles can be identified with those smaller bands &c. which 

 act on the nose-chamber and upper lip in other and higher Mammalian orders. The 

 nasal cartilages are insignificant, and pass but a little beyond the short nasal bones ; yet 



' Hunterian Leotures, 186f), Reported in abstract, Med. Times and Gazette, p. 3.50, ilarch 31 of that year. 

 -■ See P. Z. S. 1870, pp. Ifjl , 47H, figs. 5 Jt 8. 



