90 Transactions.— 2001077. 
Arr. XVIL—WNotice of the Skeleton of the New Zealand Right Whale 
(Macleayius australiensis). 
By J. E. Gray, Ph.D., F.R.S., Hon.Mem.N.Z Inst. 
Plates XVI, XVII. 
[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 6th August, 1873.] 
Dr. Haast has sent to England the skeleton of a whale from the 
coast of New Zealand. This skeleton is now in the collection of the 
British Museum. When first imported it was believed to be the New 
Zealandic whale, which I described and figured in Dr. Dieffenbach’s * Voyage” 
under the name of Balena antipodarum, which has been formed into the genus 
Caperea, on account of the peculiar shape of its ear bones. The examination of 
the ear bones at once showed that it was not that species, and proved that 
there were two Right Whales inhabiting the coast of New Zealand. The 
ear bone is so similar to those of Zubalena australis, said to come from South 
Africa, in the British Museum, that it seemed as though it might be a specimen 
of that species, showing that it was common to the Cape of Good Hope and 
New Zealand. The examination, however, of the mass formed by the cervical 
vertebre, and the form of the blade bone, showed that it was most distinct 
from the New Zealand and the Cape Whale; but it was soon apparent that 
the mass of cervical vertebre very much resembled a similar specimen in the 
Australian Museum, at Sydney, of which Mr. Krefft had sent me four 
photographs, and which are copied in the “Catalogue of Seals and Whales” 
(р. 105, figs. 10 and 11 ; and p. 372, figs. 74 and 75), and described under the 
name of Macleayius аы 
The specimen now received chiefly differs from the photographs in the ' 
cervical vertebre being much smaller but more complete, and in the lower 
processes of the second vertebra being longer and rather tapering at the end ; 
but this may depend upon the age of the specimen, as the end of the process in 
this specimen is rugose, as if in progress of growth. I am, therefore, inclined 
to consider it as a specimen of the same species, or genus at least. 
The specimen photographed by Mr. Krefft is much larger, and probably 
much more adult than the one we have received from New Zealand, as shown 
below :— 
Krefft. British Museum. 
Width of atlas... ... about 25 inches. about 19 inches. 
" lower processes of ond vertebra , 285 , » 19 н 
Height from base of atlas to top of crest ,, 18 » I5. 
The total length of the vertebre of the New Zealandio specimen, placed 
close together, is 31 feet 6 inches. The length of the head 8 feet 6 inches, 
