134 



B AL JSN0PTEEID2E . 



1861. It is very thick, and of nearly uniform thickness ; front and 

 hinder articulations nearly flat ; the sides nearly straight, the lower 

 side being the widest or most arched out. The upper and lower 

 lateral processes are very strong, the upper one subtrigonal, and bent 

 down nearly on a level with the articulating surface of the centrum ; 

 the under one rather compressed above, broader, rather flattened on 

 the lower edge. Width of the body 7^, height 6 inches ; the upper 

 process 3|, and the lower 4^ inches ; but they are evidently broken, 

 and the ends worn. 



II. Dorsal Jin high, compressed, falcate, about three-fourths of the entire 

 length from the nose. Pectoral Jin moderate, with 4 short Jimgers 

 of not more than 6 phalanges. Vertebres 58 or 04. Caincal ver- 

 tebree not amchylosed; body oblong, transverse; neural canal oblong, 

 transverse, broad and low. Mibs 14 to 16, first iinth an internal 

 compressed process. Lower jaw loith a conical coronoid process. 

 Physalina, or Tinner Whales. 



Physalina, Gray, P. Z. 8. 1804, 211. 



Bafsena tripenms, Sibbald, Phal. 1692. 



Balenapterus, sp., Lac4p. 



Balenopterus, sp., Lacip. ; F. Cuv. D. S. If. Ixi. 618. 



Balsenoptera, sp., LacSp. C^t. 



Balsenoptera, Sect. 2 & 3, Cfray, Zool. Ereb. Sf Terror, App. 50, 1846. 



PterobalSBna (pars), Eschrieht, Nord. Wallthiere, 1849. 



(Oatoptera or) Cetoptera, Rqfin. Anal. Nat. i. 219, 1815. 



Mysticetus, sp., Wagler, N. 8. Amph. 33. ' 



Balsena, sp., Linn.; MUger, Prodr. 142, 1811. 



Physalis, Fleming, Brit. Anim. 1828. 



Physalus, Lacip. Cet. ; Gray, Proc. Zool. 8oc. 1847, 90 ; Cat. Cetac. 



1850,34; Brandt. 

 Physelus, Safin. Anal. Nat. 60, 1815. 

 True Pinners, Chray, Ann. fy Mag. N. H. 1864, xiv. 351. 



" Orbital process of frontal nearly as broad at the outer extremity 

 as the base, or somewhat narrowed. Scapula low, broad, mth a 

 long acromion and coracoid process. Metacarpus and phalanges of 

 moderate dimensions. 



" Van Boneden (" Paune Littorale de Belgique," Acad. Eoy. Belg. 

 1860, xxxii.) has recognized the distinctive characters of three species 

 belonging to this group, which he calls Pterohalcena communis, P. 

 gigas, and P. minor. Dr. Gray (Proc. Zool. Soo. 1864, p. 215) con- 

 stitutes these three species as the types of distinct genera, which he 

 has named Physalus, Sibbaldius, and Balmioptera ; he also makes 

 a fourth genus, Benedenia. Although I am as little disposed as any 

 one to multiply generic names (a tendency of modem times of which 

 we are all apt to complain), I cannot help admitting that, if the 

 genera of Whales are to be at aU equivalent in value to those now 

 generally received in other groups of mammals, the first three of 

 these are perfectly vaKd. Of the genus Benedenia I speak with 

 more hesitation, as it is constituted only upon the examination of 

 a very young individual, which I confess I am unable to distinguish 

 from a Physalus. As the diagnostic characters given by Dr. Gray 



