1. EAL2ENA. 81 



with a broader articulating surface (see Eschr. & Eeinh. op. dt. i. 2. 

 f. 1-3). 



" The number of vertebrae 54. Pairs of ribs 13. Head more than 

 one-third the total length of the body. Kasal bones long and nar- 

 row ; orbital processes of frontals much elongated, sloping backwards, 

 and very little dilated at their extremity. Cervical vertebrae aU 

 anchylosed. Baleen-plates very long, and narrow at the base." — 

 Flower, P. Z. S. 1864, 390. 



There seems to be some variety in the union of the cervical ver- 

 tebrae. According to Eschricht the B. Mystieetus has the first five 

 cervical vertebrae united, and the sixth and seventh free. Mr. Flower 

 (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, 391) describes this as the character of Eu,- 

 J)al(xna, and gives the cervical vertebrae all anchylosed together as 

 the character of Balcena (p. 390). The specimen I have examined 

 agrees with Mr. Flower's description. 



1. Balaena Mystieetus. The Bight Whale. 



Head depressed. There are two series of tubercles on each side 

 of the lower lip ; and, according to Scoresby's figure, the head is two- 

 sevenths, the fins one-third, the vent two-thirds, and the sexual 

 organs four-sevenths from the nose. 



Females larger than the males. 



The nose of the skull is regularly and gradually arched above, 

 rather wide behind, near the blowhole ; the nose and the inter- 

 maxillary bones regularly taper in front. The hinder end of the 

 ja'v^-bones is obHquely produced behind, and the frontal bones are 

 narrow, nearly linear, and obhque ; temporal bone narrow, oblique. 



The baleen is very long, varying from 9 to 12 feet, linear, taper- 

 ing very gradually, of nearly the same 'moderate thickness from end 

 to end, and covered with a polished grey or greenish-black enamel. 

 The internal fibres occupy a small part of the substance, are parallel, 

 of a fine uniform texture, and black. The enamel, which forms by 

 far the greater part of the substance, is generally blackish ; but some- 

 times, especially on the inner side of the " fin," it is paler in longi- 

 tudinal stripes. The fibres on the edge, Ulte the internal fibres of 

 which they are a continuation, are very fine and black. The "fins" 

 or pieces of baleen are flat, or as the merchant calls them " kindly," 

 so that they produce straight pieces fit for the better kind of parasols 

 and umbrellas, &c., when cut into strips. 



Balsena Mystieetus arctica, ScMegel, Abhandl. 86. 



Balaena Mystieetus, I/inn. S. W. i. 106 ; Gmdin, S. N. i. 223 ; Mutter, 



Zool. Dan. 6; Erxl. Syst. 601 ; O. Fahr. F. G. 32; Schreh. Sdugeth. 



t. 322 ; Cm. Bhg. Anim. i. 285, ed. 2. i. 296 ; Oss. Foss. v. 361. t. 25. 



f. 9, 11 (adult skull, B. M.), t. 26. f. 25 ; Lessm, (Euvr. Buffon, i. 294. 



1. 11 ; Besm. Mamm. 527, 798; Bid. Class. S. N. ii. 160; Camper, 



CMac. t. 4, 5, 6 (skull of young) ; Fischer, Syn. 521 ; Volkmann, Anat. 



Anim. Tab. 1831, t. 9. f. 5 (skull, fcetus ?) ; Bett, B. Quad. 514, fig. ; 



Nilsson, Skand. Fauna, 642 ; Turton, B. Fauna, 15 ; Fleming, B. A. 



33 ; Jenyns, Man. 46 ; Gray, Zool. Erebus §• Terror, 15, 47. 1. 1. f. 4 



(baleen) ; Cat. Mamm. B. M. 104 ; Cat. Cetac. B. M. 1850, 12 ; Proc. 



Zool. Soc. 1864, 200 ; Lilljeborg, Ofvers. 107. 



