1862-64 SKELETON OF A WHALE 143 



He says : ' Professor Owen has the honour to 

 report to the Trustees that, having heard of the 

 stranding of a whale on the coast of Caithness, 

 upon the estate of Captain Macdonald, near 

 Thurso, he wrote to that gentleman, who in 

 reply stated that, if Professor Owen would inspect 

 the specimen and superintend or give directions 

 for the preparation of the bones, he might have 

 them at his own valuation. 



1 Professor Owen, after conferring on the 

 subject with the Duke of Northumberland and 

 Sir Roderick Murchison, proceeded to Thurso, 

 inspected the whale, which proved to be a full- 

 grown female cachalot [Physeter macrocepkalus), 

 and, after ascertaining the probable cost of clean- 

 ing, preparing, and packing the bones, offered the 

 sum of 30/. for them, which was accepted by 

 Captain Macdonald. Part of one paddle was lost, 

 and the jaw was fractured, and some teeth of the 

 lower jaw were missing, but in other respects the 

 skeleton was more complete than is usual with 

 those of full-sized whales. Its length was sixty 

 feet. After forming the nearest estimate of the 

 specimen which circumstances would permit, Pro- 

 fessor Owen engaged the services of an intelligent 

 carpenter, to assist in the examination and dis- 

 section of the whale, and confided to him, with 

 written instructions, the cleaning, bleaching, and 

 packing of the bones. Professor Owen believes 

 that the bones of the cachalot will be received in 



