NUMBER OF VERTEBRAE. 



Lumbar and number 



Cervical. Dorsal. Caudal. Total, of ribs. 



Balcena Mysticetus .7 12 33 52 12 



Rorqualus major .7 15 43 65 15 



minor .7 11 30 48 11 

 ,, Sp. Trigger-fin, anatomy not known. 



Baleen — Measurement of longest blade. 



Balcena Mysticetus .... from 9 to 17 feet 

 Rorqualus major .... from 4 to 5 ,, 



„ minor .... 5 inches 



„ Sp. Trigger-fin, anatomy not known. 



Average length of Baleen offered for sale, from 6 to 1 2 feet. 



1. Balcena Mysticetus, Right Whale. 



The Mysticetus, in point of value, not only exceeds that of all others, not 

 excepting even that of the Cachalot, but is infinitely more valuable, as a 

 marketable production, than any other animal ; and yet only the skin (i.e., the 

 blubber of the practical whaler) and its appendages, in the shape of baleen, is 

 brought to market, the entire carcase and skeleton have as yet no marketable 

 value. * 



All attempts to give a drawing of the animal have hitherto failed, 

 although the skeleton may now be seen in most of the Museums on the 

 Continent, more especially in Paris, where the Musetim, towards the close of 

 Cuvier's career, formed the largest " Scientific Dictionary, illustrated," in the 

 world. (A profile view of the skull is given in Plate 2b, fig. 5.) It has been 

 stated that Cuvier found specific difference between the Arctic and Antarctic 

 Mysticetse ; but I have not seen the grounds on which he based his opinion. 

 Practical whalers are of opinion the Mysticetse killed in the Southern 

 Hemisphere, are identical with those of Davis' Straits and Greenland, only 

 differing in size, arising from the nature of the food.t 



Since arriving in New Zealand, I have come to the conclusion that there 

 are at least two species of the Mysticetse, from an examination of the baleen ; 

 that of the Southern Hemisphere being proportionately finer in texture, 

 narrower, and thinner in the blade. Baleen has been used for a great variety 

 of purposes, and, at one time, its value was regulated by the length of the 

 blade, everything under six feet brought a much less price than that of greater 

 length. Now, the baleen in the Arctic whale (central blades of the series) has 

 frequently reached seventeen and eighteen feet in length, whereas the baleen 

 brought from the Antarctic or South Sea, seldom exceeds nine feet. I, at one 

 time, from observing transverse ridges on the sides of the baleen plates, thought 

 that these ridges indicated a periodical interruption in the growth, similar to 

 those observed on the horn of the ox, but from the examination of the baleen 

 belonging to the cranium presented to the Museum by Sir George Grey, I 

 very much doubt the soundness of this theory. The baleen is strictly analogous 

 to the hail-, nails, hoofs, etc., and being liable to be worn down, continues 

 throughout the whole life of the animal to grow. A fine and similar example 

 of this wonderful provision of nature may be observed in the molar teeth of 

 the elephant. 



* Value of two Whales. —Oil, 20 tons, at £50 a ton, £1,000 ; Baleen, 1^ tons, at £700, 

 £1,050. Total, £2,050. — Voyage of the "Diana," whaler, from Hull, in the year 1866-7. 



t The principal whaler has no idea of size in any animal constituting a generic or 

 specific character. 



