128 



ESCHRICHT AND REINHARDT 



Height of the scapula (from the glenoid cavity to the middle 



of the convex margin) .... 



Length of the convex, margin .... 



„ anterior „ . 



„ posterior „ . 



Breadth of the neck (where the scapula is narrowest) 

 Length of the glenoid cavity .... 



Breadth ,, ..... 



Cape whale. 



Greenland w 



hale. 



Ft. 



in 



0-58 m. 



1-26 m. 



= 



4 







0-90 m. 



1-35 m. 



■=. 



4 



3" 



0-42 m. 



1-00 m. 



=z 



3 



2{ 



0-4.1 m. 



1-05 m. 



■zzz 



3 



4 



0-26 m. 



0-28 m. 



= 







10| 



0-23 m. 



0-34 m. 



z=: 



1 



1 



0-18 m. 



0-27 ra. 



= 







lOi 



The existence of a coracoid process seems to be one of the most essential distinguishing marks 

 of the scapula of the Greenland whale in opposition to that of the Cape whale. In Cuvier's 



North whale scapula this process is seen to have 

 its origin at some distance above the glenoid 

 cavity ; but in all our specimens it arises close 

 to the margin of the cavity, as will be seen in 

 the adjoining figure of a left scapula, eighteen 

 times diminished. As usual, it points for- 

 wards, upwards, and especially inwards, where- 

 fore it is only in certain positions that it can 

 be seen in its entire length from the outer 

 side. 



The acromion has rather a considerable 

 length (five inches), and a slight ridge ascends 

 from its superior margin, evidently the spina 

 scapula, as it is called, dividing it into the 

 smaller and anteriorly situated supraspinous 

 fossa, vi^hich is almost perfectly flat, and a dis- 

 proportionately larger, posteriorly situated in- 

 fraspinous fossa that is rather strongly excavated, especially in a downward direction. Quite 

 posteriorly, along the hindmost margin, the scapula becomes gradually thinner, so that its edge 

 is quite sharp. 



In its natural relation with the surrounding soft parts, the scapula is placed so (see Plate 

 II, fig. 1) that its posterior part covers the inferior half of the three anterior ribs, and its fore- 

 most angle is placed almost in immediate connection with the occiput, while the articular cavity 

 is only very little higher than the inferior margin of the lower jaw. In proof of this we have pre- 

 served the extraordinarily thick periosteal membrane round the scapula of our foetus in its natural 

 connection with the ribs. 



The remaining parts of the anterior extremities of the Greenland whale are, like the scapula, 

 easily distinguishable, not only from those of all the rorquals, but also from those of the Cape 

 whale. In opposition to the rorquals, it has a distinguishing mark in common with the Cape 

 whale in the presence of a thumb ; but whereas the thumb of the Cape whale has three pha- 

 langes, that is to say, two digital phalanges besides the metacarpal bone, that of the Greenland 

 whale consists of one single bone. With the anterior extremities of the hump-backs so extraor- 



