118 BAI^SrOPXEEID^. 



The atlas vertebra with an oblong body, and with a large and short 

 broad lateral process from the upper part of each side. The upper 

 and lower lateral processes of the second cervical vertebra very thick, 

 short, blunt, and separated at the ends ; of the other cervical ver- 

 tebrae slender, more elongate, separate. Neural arch of the cervical 

 vertebrae strong, high, with a large subcircular cavity for the spinal 

 marrow. The bodies of the cervical vertebrae oblong, roundish, or 

 subqnadrangular, rather wider than high. The scapula short and 

 broad, without any, or a very small, coracoid process. The arm- 

 bone long ; wrist with a broad flat spur ; the fingers four, elongate, 

 very unequal in length, the third longest, the second rather shorter, 

 the fourth much shorter, and the first shortest ; the longest is formed 

 of eight joints (see Eschr. Dan. Trans. 1845, t. 2. f. D, & t. 3. f. 4). 

 The front ribs thick, oblong, compressed, without any swelling or 

 compressed dilated part near the condyle. 



The baleen is short, broad, triangular, much longer than broad at 

 the base, rapidly attenuated, edged with a scries of bristle-hke fibres, 

 which become much thicker and more rigid near and at the tip. 

 Eather twisted, especially when dry. The tympanic bones are hke 

 those of the Balcenopterm, oblong, but shorter and more ventricose. 



The foetal specimens exhibit numerous rudimentary teeth in both 

 jaws. These are figured by Eschricht (Danish Trans, iv. t. 4. f. a, I) 

 from specimens 35 and 45 inches long (copied Zool. Erebus & Terror, 

 t. 30. f. 2-14). 



" Orbital process of frontal much narrowed externally. Scapula 

 high and narrow ; acromion and coracoid process absent or rudi- 

 mentary. Metacarpus and phalanges greatly elongated. Vertebrse 63. 

 Eibs 14. Coronoid process of lower jaw low, obtuse. Nasal bones 

 narrow, pointed at both ends, rising to a sharp ridge in the middle 

 line, and deeply hoUowed at the sides." — Flower, P. Z. S. 1864, 391. 



In the foetal state the forearm-bones are very much longer than 

 the humerus. The third finger is the longest, but not much longer 

 than the second ; the fourth, and then the first, are shortest. The 

 spur at the wrist is falcate. The first finger has 3, the second 8, the 

 third 8, and the fourth 3 phalanges. (See Eschricht, Wallthiere, 

 t. 3. f. 4.) 



In the ' Catalogue of Cetacea,' p. 24, by a slip of the pen, the first 

 rib is incorrectly said to be forked at the end near the vertebra. 



The cervical vertebrse are liable to be more or less anchylosed 

 together. In two specimens, one of M. longimana, in the Museum, 

 all the cervical vertebra are free. In the young specimen in the 

 Derby Museum at Liverpool, which is probably M. longimana, the 

 second and third cervical vertebras are very thin, and anchylosed both 

 by the body and the neural arch. In the specimen of M. Poeskop in 

 Paris, according to Cuvier, the second and third cervicals are united 

 by the upper part of their body ; and in a specimen, apparently of 

 the same species, from the Cape, in the British Museum the second 

 and third cervical vertebrae are only anchylosed by one side of the 

 neural arch, and free everywhere else. The breast-bone is irregular 

 rhombic; in one specimen of M. longimana from Greenland it is 



