50 
PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
Measurements of the Hyperoodon talcen in 1857 and of that in 1845. 
Length, measured in a straight line from snout to tail, 
Dijtto, measured along the dorsal curve,. 
Greatest height, . 
Ditto, girth,. 
Breadth of head, on a line from eye to eye,. 
Length of rostrum,. 
Depth of jaw at point,. 
Length from point of snout to eye,. 
Blow-hole from point of snout following dorsal curve, . . 
Ditto, in length (crescentic form),. 
Pectoral fins, from base of snout,. 
Ditto, space between them,. 
Ditto, in length, from base at upper side to point, . 
Ditto, in breadth, greatest, .. 
Dorsal fin distant from caudal fin, estimated from a straight 
line drawn from snout to tail. 
Dorsal fin, length at base,. 
Ditto, length from base to point (points backwards), . 
Caudal fin, greatest length,. 
Ditto, ditto, breadth,. 
Ditto, ditto, thickness,. 
Aperture anterior to vent in length.. 
Ditto, ditto, of vent in length,. 
1857. 
Ft. In. 
20 5 
22 6 
4 3 
11 0 
2 9 
1 2 
0 3i 
3 6 
3 2 
0 6 
5 5 
1 
8* 
7 1 
1 6 
1 0 
1 9 
5 10 
0 41 
1 H 
0 6 
1845. 
Ft. In. 
20 4 
23 4 
4 6 
11 6 
3 0 
0 11 
0 4 
3 1 
3 9 
0 6 
5 0 
1 7 
2 2 
0 7 
8 0 
1 7 
1 0 
1 11 
5 6 
0 3 
1 0 
0 6 
It may be proper to remark, that these measurements should he re¬ 
garded only as approximately correct. Perhaps no two individuals, 
measuring the same specimen at different times, would exactly agree in 
their record. 
The Secretary also read a paper— 
ON THE TEETH OF THE HYPEEOODON. BY DE. DICKIE. 
On my arrival in town some weeks after the capture of the Hyperoodon, 
I accompanied Mr. Patterson to the chemical works of Mr. Eitchie, 
where the hones of the animal were lying. We examined the jaws 
very carefully, but found only two teeth, one on each side of the 
lower jaw, near the symphysis. Each is a hollow cone, open and jagged 
at the base, and ending somewhat abruptly in a very sharp point. I 
prepared a longitudinal section of one of the teeth, and found a small 
quantity of osteo-dentine at the base, with a layer of cement inclosing 
the central dentine. The cement extended all over the tooth, but was 
very thin at the apex, this thinning taking place abruptly a little way 
below the tip. Enamel is altogether wanting, in which respect the 
teeth of Hyperoodon differ from those of the Dolphin, which have a 
layer of enamel near the end. 
Professor Owen, in his ‘‘ Odontography,” alludes to tubercles on the 
roof of the mouth which are supposed to represent the baleen of the Balse- 
nidse ; he had not examined any specimen of these tubercles. Unfor¬ 
tunately, in the example which came under my notice, all the softer 
