102 NATUEAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND, 



side to side, making a semblance to a series of prominent lamellar byp- 

 apophyses along tbis part of tbe column. Tbe transverse processes also 

 of all except tbe first dorsal are verj^ tbin and broad, projecting as a 

 series of flat tiles above the beads and tubercles of the ribs. Tbe last 

 dorsal lies between tbe crests of tbe ilia, beneatb and abutting against 

 wbicb tbe rib wbicb it bears comes out. Tbe sacro-lumhar vertebrae, *. 

 e., tbose wbicb are ancbyloseJ witb eacb otber and wbicb articulate 

 with tbe pelvis, appear to be thirteen in number. Viewed from above, 

 tbe broad, esi)auded portion of the sacrum (opposite tbe acetabula) 

 shows six inter-trabecular spaces, tbe contour of tbe exposed surface 

 being approximately diamond-shaped, about | inch broad at the widest 

 j)art by 1^ inches in length. The median line above is flat, without 

 indication of spinous processes. Viewed from below, the conjoined cen- 

 tra of the sacro-lumhar vertebrae are a narrowly fusiform mass, broadest 

 about opposite the middle of tbe ilia. Inferiorly they are flattened and 

 somewhat excavated, though anteriorly j)inched together and deepen- 

 ing to join the articulation with the last dorsal vertebrae. The trabeculae 

 are longest and most distinct opposite the acetabula, two of them being 

 especially prominent, while anteriorly four or five are conspicuous. 

 Then follows an interspace of about the same length, in which they 

 nearly disappear; nor are they strongly marked toward the posterior 

 extremity of tbe column. 



The caudal, i. e., unancbylosed post-sacral vertebrae, are nine in num- 

 ber, considering thp pygostyle as one. Pygostyle is simply laminar, 

 with thickened under edge, irregularly quadrilateral in shape;* long 

 diameter, ^ inch. Of the other vertebrae, the transverse processes of 

 the intermediate ones are shorter than those of either extremity. Mod- 

 erate neural spines, with no obvious hypapophyses except on penulti- 

 mate vertebra. The whole series presents no special characters.* 



* Comparison with De Blainville's vertebral formula will show several points to be 

 considered. 



In the first place, De Blainville is in expressed doubt as to the number of post-sacral 

 vertebriB, and his formulte, as given at p. 102 and at p. 106, differ with each other, the 

 first being 15 — 6 — 14 — 1—A2, the other being 15 — 6 — 14 — 8=43. Accounting for thisdis- 

 crepancy on the suppositioif of imperfection of his specimen, we throw the post-sacrals 

 out of further consideration, and turn attention to the remaining elements of his form- 

 ula, which are really less different from ours than appears at first sight, we giving 13 

 —8—13, and he 15—6—14. 



For we reckon the last costiferous vertebra as dorsal, he as sacral. This leaves the 

 numeration of uon-costiferous anchylosed lumbo-sacrals the same, namely, IS, in each, 

 case, adding one to his numeration of dorsals. We furthermore reckon as a dorsal 



