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Show 1886.] MR. R. COLLETT ON BAL.ENOPTERA BOREALIS. 243 R. arvalis, let him read Pfltiger's account of experiments on the crossing of the German frogs. Dissidents from the modern views on the specific distinctions of the forms of R. temporaria have of late become very few. That there should be at the present day a naturalist to express the opinion that R. arvalis is the male and R. temporaria the female of the same species, and a herpetologist, who professes to know European Frogs, to reproduce such nonsense with the remark " should this discovery be confirmed it will afford an unexpected solution to the controversy," may appear incredible, but is unfortunately true. APPENDIX. The following paper, originally intended for the ' Transactions,' has been ordered by the Committee of Publications (at the request of the Author) to be printed in this part of the ' Proceedings ':- On the External Characters of Rudolphi's Rorqual (Balceno-ptera borealis). By R O B E R T C O L L E T T , C.M.Z.S.* [Received January 4, 1886: read February 2, 1886.] (Plates XXV., XXVI.) Contents. I. Introductory Remarks, p. 243. II. General Characters, p. 246. III. Measurements, p. 248. IV. Structure of tbe Body, p. 248. V. Colour, p. 249. VI. Flippers and other external characters, p. 252. VII. Baleen, p. 253. VIIL Blow-holes and furrows, p. 255. IX. Hairy covering, p. 255. X. Parasites, p. 255. X L Time of capture, p. 259. XII. Foetus, p. 260. XIII. Food, p. 261. XIV. Habits, p. 263. XV. Value, p. 263. XVI. Monstrosities, p. 264. XVII. Synopsis of the four northern species of Balanoptera, p. 264. I. Introductory Remarks. Although our knowledge of Balanoptera borealis has been considerably increased during the last few years, still almost all researches have been confined to its anatomical structure, and no complete description has hitherto been given of its external characters. Even up to the year 1882 the species was only known from a small number of stranded specimens, the skeletons of which had found their way into different museums ; but of the external characters of * [Mr. A. Heneage Cocks, F.Z.S., has kindly added some footnotes, which are designated by his initials.-ED.] |