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. 
‘ 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 macrocephalus), 
and, after ascertaining the probable cost of clean- 
iug, preparing, and packing the bones, offered the 
Sum of 30/. for them, which was a,ccepted by 
Captain Macdonald. Part of one paddle was lost, 
^nd 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 
tvritten instructions, the cleaning, bleaching, and 
packing of the bones. Professor Owen believes 
*^hat the bones of the cachalot will be received in 
