Gray.—On Macleayius australiensis. 91 
but over the curve of the nose 10 feet. The length of the vertebra, 23 feet ; 
of the lower jaws, 7 feet 8 inches ; of the first rib, 3 feet 6 inches; and of the 
middle rib, 7 feet 4 inches, as measured by Mr. E. Gerrard, jun. who 
observes that “the last small bone of the tail is wanting. “here are eight 
chevron bones present, but I should think there ought to be one or two more 
small ones. One malar bone and the epiphyses of three vertebrz are wanting. 
I also think a few of the finger-joints are wanting, but it is difficult to be sure, 
as some are loose and others covered with skin ;' but we will determine when 
itis cleaned. The nasal bone is strap-shaped, more than twice as long as 
broad, with thick rounded front ends which are notched out in the middle. It 
is about 41 inches wide. The skull and lower jaw weigh rather above 5} ewt., 
each lower jaw being 90 Ibs. The ear bone is very thick, triangular, with 
nearly equal sides. This is very like two ear bones which we have received 
from South Africa as those of the S. African Whale, Zubalena australis, and 
the figures of the ear bones of that species given by Van Beneden (Ostéogr. 
Cét., t. L; IL, figs. 13 and 14). The differences between the New Zealand 
and the Cape Whales are so slight that it would be very difficult to express 
them in words, and indeed to distinguish the specimens from each other. 
According to Van Beneden, the ear bones of the young Zubalena australis 
are much more rounded, and have larger apertures compared with their size, 
than in the adults (see his figure t. 1 and 2, figs. 10 and 11). 
The os petrosum, to which the New Zealandie specimen is attached, is very 
like, but rather smaller than the specimens we have of Hubalena australis, 
said to come from the Cape, and like those figured by Van Beneden (Ostéogr. 
Cét., t. I. ; t. IL, figs. 13 and 14). We have a pair in the Museum very 
similar to the Cape and New Zealand bones, sent to the Museum as ear bones 
of the Sperm Whale, by Mr. H. H. Russell, but they differ from the three 
other specimens in having a much larger os petrosum and much longer strap- 
shaped truncated lobe. 
The vertebra are—seven cervical and forty-seven dorsal and caudal The 
body of the tirst dorsal vertebra is anchylosed with the body of the seventh 
cervical, and there may be a last caudal vertebra wanting. 
The cervical vertebrz are all united into one mass, and to the first dorsal 
vertebra by their bodies, and, all but the first dorsal, by the crests of the dorsal 
processes, which form a high arched ridge ; the crest of the second vertebra 
being much the largest, longest, and highest. All the vertebre are furnished 
with a superior lateral process, that of the first and second being free at the 
base and united at the end; that of the first very large, compressed, and 
truncated at the end. The upper one of the second, large, thick, and united 
to the upper part of the back of the process of the first. The upper lateral 
processes of the third to the seventh, compressed, slender, and free; the third 
