158 ME. W. II. FLOWER ON THE SKELETON 



and broad (from before backwards). Tbe first pair are only united for a small space at 

 their backward-directed pointed apex. The others are all firmly united, except the 

 fourteenth pair, which are very minute, flattened, and subcircular. The fifth are the 

 longest. All these bones, as shown in the figure, are exactly in their natural position, 

 as they have never been separated from the bodies of the vertebrae. 



The form of the caudal appendage is shown in outline at fig. 2, PL XVII., drawn 

 from the dried specimen sent by Mr. Swinhoe, after its natural shape and dimensions 

 had been restored by soaking in water. The length between the extremities of the 

 " flukes " is 20^ inches. 



There are twelve pairs of ribs. The five foremost have necks and heads which reach 

 the bodies of the vertebras. The sixth has a rudimentary neck, the others none, and 

 are only attached to the ends of the transverse processes. The last rib is nearly as well 

 developed as its predecessor. Some of the sternal ribs are wanting ; but those that are 

 present indicate that there were at least seven pairs of these bones. 



As before mentioned, the sternum is missing. 



The scapula generally resembles that of other Dolphins, but it is rather high in 

 proportion to its breadth, and has its posterior angle obliquely truncated. The 

 acromion is broad, and the coracoid rather small. The characters of the scapulas of 

 the other individual sent by Mr. Swinhoe are precisely similar. 



The humerus, radius, and ulna appear to differ little in the true Dolphins, and in the 

 present specimen they offer nothing worthy of note, except that the olecranon is but 

 slightly developed. These bones are ankylosed together at the elbow-joint. 



The manus is broader at the base than in most Dolphins (e. g. I), delphis and I). 

 tursio), and much resembles in form that of D. guianensis, as figured by Professor Van 

 Beneden 1 . This breadth is caused by the considerable development and position of the 

 two outer digits. It is falcate and obtusely pointed at the extremity. Considering the 

 age of the animal, the carpal bones are less developed than in other Dolphins available 

 for comparison, as, instead of being united into a sort of closely fitting mosaic, they 

 have rounded borders and are all separated by cartilaginous intervals. They are, as 

 usual, five in number, and probably represent the scaphoid, lunar, cuneiform, trapezium, 

 and unciform. The scaphoid is the largest and of an oblong form, the cuneiform a 

 very small rounded nodule. 



The first digit consists of a single, slender, tapering metacarpal, without any ossified 

 phalanx. The other metacarpals are broad and flat. The second digit has six pha- 

 langes ; the third, five ; the fourth, two ; and the fifth, one broad phalanx in addition 

 to a well-developed metacarpal. The size of the last two digits (so often almost aborted 

 in the Delphinidse) is the more remarkable, as the ulnar side of the carpus shows such 

 a comparative arrest of ossification. 



1 Mem. de l'Acad. Roy. de Belgique, Coll. in-Svo, torn. xvi. 1863, p. 33. 



