558 



CETACEA. 



Fig. 21. 



and that of the axis has none of the pointed character that occurs in _B. sclilegeli, 

 and it more resembles the spinous process of B. sibbaldi. The neural canal has 

 considerable breadth (3 inches) and is much broader than high. The notch for the 

 reception of the odontoid swelling of the axis lying below it is much contracted. The 

 transverse process of the atlas is well-defined, rather long, but basally shallow ; very 

 difilerent from the deep wing-like twisted transverse process of B. sclilegeli, as 

 figured and described by Plower. ' The articular surfaces for the axis practically 

 meet below, being separated from each other by 0"25 inch in the dried bone, and 

 have thus no facet between them as in B. sclilegeli. Two small facets, however, occur, 

 one on either side of the pointed process that lies below the body of the axis. On the 

 anterior surface of the lower portion of the neural arch which forms the front of the 

 notch for the first nerve, there is an articular facet on the right side, measuring 

 1'25 inch ia diameter, and on the opposite side there is a similar but smaller facet. 

 Both articulate with the condylar facets of the skull and are adventitious. In 

 other respects the atlas conforms to the general character of the bone in Ein-Whales. 

 The axis (woodcut, fig. 21, A) in its general form bears a strong resemblance to the 



axis of B. sclilegeli. The lateral process is 

 greatly exj)anded and is perforated by a 

 small oval orifice close to its base, but 

 somewhat above the middle of the process. 

 The neural arch is strong, but the spinous 

 process is low : the neural canal has a 

 breadth of 3'60 inches to a height of 3"10 

 inches. The odontoid swelHng is not very 

 weU marked. Two small facets occur close 

 to the lower margin of the articular surfaces 

 for the atlas and correspond to the articular 

 surfaces on the pointed process which fits 

 in between these facets. 



The transverse processes, upper and 

 lower, of the thu'd as in the second cervical 

 vertebra (fig. 21, A & B) are united, on 

 either side enclosiag a large open space, a,nd 

 the bodies of the two are somewhat quad- 

 rangular : the neural arches and spinoiis 

 processes are feeble. In the fourth and 

 fifth, the open space defined by the upper 

 and lower transverse processes is much larger than in the previous vertebrae, and in 

 the fifth, on the right side, the two transverse processes do not meet by half an inch, 

 whereas on the opposite side they are broadly united. The neural arches are triangular 

 and high. In the sixth (fig. 21, C), the transverse processes do not meet by an interval 

 of 4" 75 inches, the inferior process being short and stunted, and from the circumstance 



■ Proc. Zool. Soc, 1864, p. 403, fig. 10. 



Posterior view of the cervical vertebrae of the B. edeni, 

 ^Vth natural size. A, the second ; B, the third ; and C, the 

 sixth cervical 



