106 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON THE 



The space bus comparatively straight margins. In those features the jaw of this 

 wliale is distinctly mort' like that oi Rhachianectes than of any other Whalebone 

 Whale '. llestricting our comparison to the genera Balmna and Balcenoptera, it is 

 clear that Neohalmia in the characters of the lower jaw comes nearest to Balcjr>na. 

 This it approaches in two marked features: in the first place, it agrees with iyffZw'na 

 in the feeble development of the coronoid process ; and in the second place, of the 

 downward inclination of the syraphysial region of the bones. It is, however, 

 proportionately much deeper than in Baloena. This latter statement also applies 

 to a comparison of it with Balmioftera. As in other Whalebone Whales, the angle 

 of the lower jaw does not project back beyond the condyle. 



It will be apparent from the above description of the skull of Neohalcena that it 

 most resembles that of Balmna, but that it shows a few points of approximation to the 

 skull of Balcenoptera, and possesses a few others in which it is peculiar and unlike 

 either genus. 



1 propose on a future occasion to compare the skull and the skeleton of Neohaloena 

 with that of another aberrant Whalebone Whale, Bhachianecfes. But, in the 

 meantime, I may point out that the two genera seem to have pursued two different 

 paths of modification. While Neohalcena may be best described, perhaps, as a Right 

 Whale with a dash of Rorqual about it, Bhacldanectes is decidedly a Rorqual with 

 about an equal mixture of Right Whale. 



It may be useful to abstract from the foregoing account of the osteology of Neohalmna 

 marginata the features in which it presents resemblances to the genera Balcenoptera 

 and Balcena and to contrast with these the peculiarities which appear to be distinctive 

 of the genus Neobalama. 



Neohalcena agrees with Balmna in the following assemblage of characters : — 



(1) The arching and the narrowness of the anterior part of the skull. 



(2) The absence of a marked coronary process upon the mandible. 



(3) The complete fusion of the seven cervical vertebrae. 



(4) The great length and the characters generally of the whalebone. 



(5) The absence of throat-grooves. 



Neohalmna agrees with the genus Balmnoptera in the following larger number 

 of characters : — ■ 



(1) The proportions of the skull to the rest of the skeleton. 



(2) The great breadth and the shortness (^from above downwards) of the orbital 



portion of the frontal bones. 



(3) The small number of ribs which possess the capitular head. 



(4) The general shape of the scapula. 



* It should be noted that in the drawing which illustrates the dorsal view of the mandiblea (PI. VIII. 

 fig. 1) those bones are a little displaced, and thus appear to contradict the above statements. 



