10 W. LlLLJEBORG, 



graphs of the animal, sold at the exhibition, seem to indicate a less marked 

 protuberance at the nostrils, and a more pointed snout, and secondly it 

 should be remembered that R. Heddle in his "Notes on the Nybster Whale" 1 ) 

 remarks, that he had the opportunity to observe on another individual ap- 

 parently of the same species {Physalus antiquorum Gray), that the place of 

 the nostrils was sometimes flat and at other times boldly projecting. ("The 

 blowholes were at times fiat and unprojecting, at other times boldly protu- 

 berant, the animal evidently having the power of raising or depressing these 

 organs"). This observation goes greatly to diminish the value of this pro- 

 tuberance as a characteristic, which moreover was probably something smaller 

 in reality than it has been represented in the figure referred to. One cir- 

 cumstance which however requires notice is, that although it is about 55' 

 long, the structure of the bones indicates that it is as yet far from full- 

 grown, whereas the skeleton of the Physalus antiquorum at Bergen, as 

 well as the skeleton, also of a male, preserved in the Zool. Riksmuseum at 

 Stockholm, which is about 58 ' long, (the length of the entire animal would 

 therefore be GO' — 62') has all the characteristics of an old full-grown indivi- 

 dual. The larger size of the Bal.' Carolinae in proportion to its age is a 

 circumstance that receives additional weight from the statement of G. 0. Sars, 

 that the fishermen relate, that the "Tuehval" is larger than theother Finners 

 met with in that tract, as also from that of Heddle, who says (ibid.) that 

 the individual, in which he had remarked the power of raising or lowering 

 the nostrils, was "a very large Finner." As the newspapers inform us that 

 we soon expect from Malm a detailed description of the B. Carolinae, we 

 may hope before long to be in possession of fixed points whereon to found 

 a judgement as tho whether it be or be not a separate species. 



2. Genus BALAENOPTERA, Lacepede. 



Form of the body less elongated than in the preceeding genus. Pectoral 

 fin of moderate lenght, and dorsal fin tolerably high and situated at the be- 

 ginning of the posterior third of the animals length. Processus coracoideus and 

 acromion strongly developed, and processus coronoideus high. First pair of ribs 

 single and undivided at the upper end. Number of vertebrae 50 or less. 

 Cervical vertebrae ordinarily free, but sometimes the 2 n(i and 3 rd , and occasio- 

 nally the 3 rd and 4 th are united at the areas. The atlas has the lateral pro- 

 cesses situated about the middle of the sides. They are usually annular only 



l ) Proceed, of the Zoolog. Soc. of Loudon. 185G. pag. 197. 



