220 PROFESSOR TURNER'S ACCOUNT OF THE GREAT FINNER WHALE 



substance bore a greater proportionate thickness to the vertical diameter of the 

 entire plate than in the older animal. In one of the largest unequally four- 

 sided plates, whilst the greatest vertical diameter was 2\ inches, the padding 

 at its thickest part was 1 "6 inch ; but at the inner and outer border of the plate 

 it was only - 8 inch. The greatest transverse diameter of this plate at its 

 attached border was 2*3 inches. The longest setae projecting from the free 

 lower border of the plate measured 1\ inch. The foetal baleen plates had a 

 distinctly fibrous appearance, and, from the thinness of the cortex, could be 

 readily torn along the vertical diameter into numerous fine parallel horny 

 fibres, which in each plate corresponded in number to the setae, and consisted of 

 the tubular systems, with their contained papillae. The openings into the 

 tubes were visible in the cleft between the basal laminae of attachment of the 

 plate. No transverse rings, such as have been described in the older animal, 

 were seen on the surface of the fcetal baleen plates, a circumstance which adds 

 to the probability of the view entertained by Eschricht and Reinhardt, that 

 the rings indicate a periodical change in the formation of the cortical part of 

 the blade. When transverse sections through a plate were examined micro- 

 scopically, the tubes, the tubular lamellae, and the peripheral lamellae were 

 seen, but on a much smaller scale ; the peripheral lamellae especially being 

 thinner, and not so distinct as in the older animal, so that the entire plate 

 was consequently much thinner. The intermediate substance readily tore up 

 in the vertical direction, and the torn surface was longitudinally streaked, to all 

 appearance, in conformity with the development of its epidermal cells, in con- 

 nection with the basal papillae. Numerous black pigment granules were scat- 

 tered through both the plates and intermediate substance. 



The surface of the palatal mucous membrane, from which the fcetal baleen 

 had been shed, presented folds or pulp-blades, which, in their general plan, 

 though with some modifications in form, agreed with those already described 

 on the palate of the mother. A series of transversely elongated folds corre- 

 sponded to, and fitted within, the clefts at the bases of attachment of the large 

 external plates of the transverse rows. Internal to these, owing to the baleen 

 having so much more of a bristle than a plate-like form, the elevations of the 

 mucous surface were not transversely elongated, but had more the shape of sub- 

 conical papillae (Plate VI. fig. 15). The corresponding surface of the baleen 

 wreath, instead of presenting a series of transversely, elongated, short clefts, 

 as in the mother, possessed polygonal pits, mostly of a regular hexagonal form 

 (fig. 16), into which these sub-conical papillae fitted. Towards the anterior part of 

 the palate, the folds were so faintly marked as to be recognised with difficulty. 



As the violence which had occasioned the rupture of the uterus, and the 

 displacement of the foetus, had in all probability, also, been the cause of the 

 separation of the baleen wreaths from the palate, the elongated tubular papillae 



