ceeyidjE. — cxcv. 337 



586. MEG-APTERA Gray, (fieya, large ; jrrfpov, fin.) 



1116. M. nodosa (Bonnaterre). Hump-back Whale. Body 

 short, thick, with humps and protuberances; skin often covered 

 with barnacles. L. 50 to 75 feet; color usually black. N. Atl., 

 formerly common. (M. osphyia Co-pe.) (Eu.) (Lat., with nodes 

 or lumps.) Allied to this species is the Hump-back whale of the 

 Pacific, MI. versabilis Cope. 



587. BAL^NA LinniEus. (Lat., whale.) 



1117. B. glacialis Bonnaterre. Right Whale, of the At- 

 lantic. Black Whale. The common large whale of our Eastern 

 coasts and the Xorth Atlantic generally, occasionally S. to. S. C. 

 Color black. L. 40 feet. (Eu.) 



In the Arctic seas occurs the great Bowhead, B. mysticetus L., 

 the most valuable of the whales, reaching a length of 50 or 60 feet, 

 yielding 200 to 300 barrels of oil and from 1 to 2 tons of whalebone. 



Order LH. UNOULiATA. (The Hoofed Mammals.) 

 Herbivorous mammals provided with 1 to 4 enlarged and thick- 

 ened claws or hoofs on each foot ; molar teeth adapted for grind- 

 ing. The anatomical characters of this well-known and varied 

 group are too numerous to be here summarized. The order is 

 usually subdivided into the Perissodaclyli, or odd-toed ungulates, 

 and the Arliodaclyli, or even-toes. The former group is exempli- 

 fied by the Horse (Equus caballus L.), the Ass (Asinus asinus L.), 

 the Rhinoceros, and the Tapir. The Artiodactyli are again sub- 

 divided into the non-ruminating, omnivorous, hornless, naked or 

 bristly allies of the Common Hog and Wild Boar {Sus scrofa), and 

 the group of Pecora (Ruminants). To the latter belong all the 

 living ungulates occurring within our limits. (Lat., ungulatus, 

 hoofed.) 



ramilies of TJngnlata. 

 a. Feet bifid; first toe wanting; second and fourth rudimentary. (Artio- 

 dactyli.) 

 b. Stomach compound, of 3 or 4 compartments; horns usually present, 

 {Pecora. ) 

 c. Upper jaw without incisors, in the adult. 

 d. Horns solid, usually branching, deciduous. . . . Cervid^, 195. 

 dd. Horns hollow at base, branched, deciduous. Antilocapeid^, 196. 

 ddd. Horns permanent, hollow, each enclosing a process of the frontal 

 bone BoviD^, 197. 



Family CXCV. CERVID^. (The Deer.) 

 Horns deciduous, solid, developed from the frontal bone, more 

 or less branched, covered at first by a soft, hairy integument, 

 known as "velvet; " when the horns attain their full size, which 

 they do in a very short time, there arises at the base of each a ring 

 of tubercles known as the " burr ; " this compresses and finally ob- 



22 



