VIII. On the anatomy of balænoptera rostrata

Opportunities for the careful dissection of the larger Cetaceans are so rare that the memoirs on their structure are still very imperfect. Hitherto the greater part of our information on the softer tissues of these animals has been due to the investigations of Hunter, Knox, Jacob, Eschricht, Reinhardt, and Lilljeborg; and even these distinguished anatomists have left their results more or less incomplete, partly owing to the infrequency of the captures, and partly to the numerous difficulties attendant on making a minute and careful investigation of creatures so unwieldy.