Hector.— Notes on the Whales of the New Zealand Seas. 985 
College of Surgeons Museum, London, the number varies from 56 to 59. 
But Cuvier's original description of the Cape whale gives the number 
of vertebre as 49, with 14 chevron bones;* and it is probable that the 
number of rudimentary tail bones is unimportant, as they are very likely 
overlooked in some cases, and left enclosed in the tough caudal integu- 
ment when the skeleton is being stripped. 
As the whalers only recognize one kind of black whale, which is com- 
mon throughout all southern seas, and there is no difference in habits, 
food, or distribution in latitude observable among them, it does not seem 
necessary in the present state of our knowledge that the New Zealand and 
the Cape species should be considered as different. 
ore.—27th Feb. Since writing the above, I have had an opportunity of visiting the 
Otago Museum, and I find that the skeleton of E. australis above referred to is evidently 
incomplete, and that the number of vertebre is not to be taken as a reliable character. 
Me 
ASUREMENTS. 
Total length ci Ar us 29 1 
Length of skull e x 5 7 83 
Width, orbital des s x 5 6 
» -.exoccipdal  .. 2 6 
Height of areh of skull 8.4 
The vertebral column as mounted EP oL rini 7; dorsal, 15; lumbar, 10; 
and caudal, 22; but the latter region is imperfect, and is partially restored artificially. 
The oloa of the cervical region is interesting. The first to the fifth segments 
are united by the spinous processes and lamins ; and the third and fourth, on the left 
side only, by the tips of the inferior lateral processes. Otherwise the vertebre are 
distinet. 
Only 14 pairs of ribs have been mounted, but, as they are not in relative position, 
the number is RES also erroneous, and should, from the appearance of the vertebra, 
be 15 on each si 
Only a few d dis chevrons are present, but, to judge from the presence of facets for 
their attachment to the centra, they were 13 in number, being attached from the 33rd to 
the 46th vertebre. The 39th to the 45th have the lateral processes perforated, but the 
characters of the caudal region are not reliable 
The scapula agrees with that of E. dads | in the Paris T and not with E. 
antipodarum, in having a yoll-davoloped acromion process. 
the same museum is a skull and the scapula of another specimen of this whale, 
but of much larger dimensions, which agree in their characters with the foregoing. 
3. MEGAPTERA LALANDI. 
Megaptera lalandii, Fischer ; v. Beneden and Gervais, Ostéog., 133. 
Poescopia lalandii, Gray ; Cat. S. and W., 126. 
Megaptera nove-zealandie, Gray, Cat. S. and W., 128; Hector, Trans. N.Z. - 
Inst., V. 156, VIL, 255. 
Although the humpback is the most common whale round our coasts, a 
complete skeleton of a New Zealand specimen is still a desideratum. From 
* Gray, Cat. 8. and W., p. 92. 
