Haast. — Notes on Bal^noptera rostrata. 



171 



Ft. 



Length of pectoral fin measured along lower edge . . 



Greatest breadth of pectoral fin 



From centre of caudal flipper to posterior margin of dorsal fin 



Length of dorsal fin at base 



Height 



Breadth „ ,, 



From centre of caudal flipper to posterior end of vent 



Length of vent 



Interspace between vent and orifice of the prepucium 



Length of orifice of prepucium 



Length of two testal folds. (The two testal folds lie about 



11 in. from the lower end of the former.) 

 From centre of caudal flijjper to beginning of plaits 

 From tip of snout to the blowholes 

 Length of blowholes 



Length of depression or furrow between blowholes 

 Distance of blowholes from each other at anterior end 

 ,, ,, ,, posterior end 



Greatest circumference 13 feet from notch of caudal flipper* 



Skeleton. — Although further on I shall give a few particulars of the 

 skeleton under review, in order to contribute towards the better knowledge 

 of this interesting species, I have to observe that when comparing it with 

 the figure of Balcenoptera rostrata in the '* Osteographie des Cetaces," plates 

 XII. and Xin., I could not find the least difference in its general character- 

 istic features. This became still more striking when I compared the 

 measurements of the parts of our skeleton with those given in the pub- 

 lication of the Eay Society at page 273, of a young female with loose 

 vertebral epiphyses. 



As the Sumner skeleton, in which the vertebral epiphyses are also still 

 unanchylosed, is only two inches smaller, I have thought it more con- 

 venient and instructive to give, in the following table, the measurements 

 of the principal parts, to show how very closely they agree with each 

 other. 



2 



7 







Hi 



an 6 







1 



8 



1 



11 







6 



5 



Hi 







6 







7 



1 



4 



ut 



5i 



11 



3 



2 



11 







7 







9 







1 







4i 



10 



10 



* This measurement is only approximate, as owing to the heavy weight it was impos- 

 sible to pass the tape quite round, so that only one half of the circumference of the body 

 has been measured as correctly as possible. 



Professor Hutton gives the greatest circumference of the Otago specimen as ten feet. 

 In comparing the two drawings the Sumner specimen appears to be far more slender than 

 the former. In some respects age, and most probably the beginning of decomposition of 

 the Otago specimeu, may have something to do with its ha%ang a more robust appearance. 



