J.H. Cock & Cie
ALSO AT
WANGANUI and NEW PLYMOUTH
London agants
A.L. ELDERS & C° L°
7 St Helens Place
E.C.
Nelson, New Zealand
27th July 1906
Herrn Professor L. Döderlein
Zoologische Sammlung Strassburg, Germany
Dear Sir,
By direction of Mr James Dall, who is already in correspondence with you, we have shipped to London pv. SS ‘Athenic’ 5 cases marked DSG Nos 1/5 containing whale skeletons and have sent the Bill of Lading with an account of charges to our agents Merrs A.L. Elder C° Ltd of 7 St Helens Place, London who will hand over the documents to your London agents upon payment of the charges. The SS ‘Athenic’ should reach London about the end of August.
Yours faithfully
J.H. Cock & C°
Bordereau d’envoi de Collingwood, via Nelson, N.Z.
Contents of 5 cases Zoological specimens consigned to Professor L. Döderlein – Sammlung des Zoologischen Instituts Strasburg
Case 1
Contains the skeleton marked Sibbaldius of ‘Sibbaldius sulphureus’ except 1 vertebra in case 3 easily known by its weight. In working to open the head there are 2 sharp points of bone on which the ear drums rest, be careful not to break them off & the rimbone for the eye is also slender – no epiphyses-
The anterior chevrons are nearby flat & are marked
Case 2
Contains the incomplete skeleton of the supposed ?Epiodon NovaeZelandiae ? skull with ear drums in position
Case 3
Contains the skeleton of Berardius Arnuxii except 4 vertebrae in case 4. & shoulder blades/scapula case 5. I am not certain, but I think there is one small bone wanting in the manus, otherwise this skeleton is perfect as a few weeks ago I managed to obtain the lost tooth, a fortunate thing after such a length of time.
N.B. Before removing the skull, take out the lower (slender) jaws, one on each side of the skull & be especially careful of the rim of the eyes as it is very slender & easily broken ; with one ear bone (displaced) is a piece of roughish bone which goes with it – no epiphyses.
The anterior chevrons are flat & are marked –
Case 4
Contains 1 fin complete & portion of the other also 4 vertebrae belonging to Berardius Arnuxii of Case 3.
Case 5
Contains the whalebone of ‘Sibbaldius sulphureus’ also the scapula of Berardius Arnuxii (1 rare Marine shell fine specimen).
The whalebone is not in very good order (but I did the best I could with it) owing to the very wet weather at the time.
Note : unless the fish had an odd rib as sometimes happens, one of the ribs of Sibbaldius sulphureus’ is lost, & I have now very little hopes of obtaining it, but still I may do so & if so I will care for it.
I lost one ear drum, but by careful watching & scarifying the beach I found it but lost the eyeballs ; I buried one but though I have spent a considerable time looking for it, I have failed to find it, but I still hope to do so. The other I am afraid is totally lost, as I have scarified the beach & examined the shore for a long distance a number of times.
This fish was of deep golden red on the belly with deep folds & had no epiphyses, whilst every fish or animal of this species I have seen previously had epiphyses.