ON THE GREENLAND RIGHT-WHALE. 113 



extremity, and tlieir cartOaginous external parts had shrunk as usual; but, nevertheless, so 

 much, at least, may be discerned in them that they become continually shorter, thicker, and 

 more transverse in their positions as they advance progressively backwards. 



The transverse processes of the second dorsal vertebra are a little longer than those of the 

 first (ten inches in our forty-four and a half feet long skeleton) ; they are also flat, though less so 

 than those of the first, and stumpy at their extremities. In the third dorsal vertebra, the 

 transverse processes have also almost the same length as in the first (eight and a half inches), 

 but they can no longer be called flat; and externally on their superior surface, the small 

 protuberant articular process is seen, separated from the exterior stumpy and triangular extremity 

 of the transverse process only by a narrow depression. 



Of the fourth and fifth dorsal vertebrae we give the adjoining woodcut illustration. It would 

 be easy to recognise them, as belonging to the anterior part of the dorsal region, from the 

 circumstance, that the arches and transverse processes arise from one common root on the 

 uppermost corners of the vertebral bodies, and that 

 the posterior articular processes still exist. That 

 we have the fourth and fifth dorsal vertebrae before 

 us, would besides be evident from what we have 

 stated above of the appearance of the anterior 

 articular processes, for they are seen here as 

 small protuberances (a), on the extreme outer 

 extremity of the anterior margin of the trans- 

 verse processes ; but the most certain charac- 

 teristics are to be found in the transverse 

 processes, especially in their not only having an 

 almost entirely transverse direction, different from 



those of the three most anterior dorsal vertebrae, but also an articular excavation on the inferior 

 surface of their ends, though these ends are not, as in the succeeding ones, developed in the form 

 of broad and shallow cotyloid cavities. In the fourth dorsal vertebra, the extremities of the trans- 

 verse processes are, on the contrary, even so thick and stumpy, that they may be said to be 

 rather high than broad, triangular, with the smaller surface turned downwards and provided 

 with the articular cavity, and with the two larger surfaces turned upvrards, the one forwards, and 

 the other backwards. But vi^hile we shall thus consider the fourth dorsal vertebra as still 

 belonging to those with short transverse processes, the fifth dorsal vertebra might on the 

 other hand rather be reckoned among those of which the transverse processes are provided 

 with articular excavations at their extremities, and of which the outline may, perhaps, be said, 

 on the whole, to resemble that of an' hour-glass. The cotyloid form of the terminal margin of 

 the transverse processes is produced by their becoming perfectly flat and broad, and at the same 

 time concave on their inferior surfaces, and convex in the superior ones, instead of being high 

 rather than broad, as was the case in the fourth dorsal vertebra. The hour-glass form of these 

 transverse processes is produced by their appearing narrowed in the middle and expanded out- 

 wardly into an anterior and posterior angle, while inwardly they are also, at least, in the anterior 

 edge, provided with a projecting tuberosity by the anterior articular process appearing in this 

 place. The transverse processes of the fifth dorsal vertebra are not, however, particularly broad at 

 their terminal margin, and the articular process is still placed too near to the anterior corner of 



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