386 



ACCOUNT OF A BELUGA 



Os Hyoides, Larynx, Trachea and Lungs. 



The first three of these organs are preserved in a 

 dried state. The body of the os hyoides is of a tri- 

 angular shape, somewhat like the first bone of the hu- 

 man sternum. The base points towards the larynx. 

 To each of the angles at the base, which are obtrun- 

 cated, is joined by suture an osseous cornu, extend- 

 ing sacrad and later ad four inches. From the at- 

 lantal angle spring other two cornua, which, di- 

 verging laterad and atlantad, continue cartilaginous 

 for four inches, and then become osseous, flattened 

 and curved ; in strength equal to the human clavi- 

 cle, and in length five and a half inches each. There 

 were likewise cartilages continued from these bones, 

 but inadvertently removed. 



The cartilages of the larynx are five ; the cri- 

 coid, thyroid, the two arytenoid, and the epiglottis. 

 What is called their depth in the following mea- 

 surements, is their extent from above downwards, 

 or from their atlantal to their sacral aspect. The 

 depth of the larynx on the sternal aspect, is 

 four inches and a quarter. On this aspect the car- 

 tilaginous structure of the cricoid is interrupted 

 at the mesial plane, and the deficiency sup- 

 plied by membrane. On the dorsal aspect, it 

 is similar in appearance to that of man, and 

 two and a third inches in depth. The depth 

 of the thyroid cartilage sternad, is likewise two 



