136 A SO OK OF- WHALES 



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It is figured, for example, by Scammon as rather 

 more than one-fourth less in length than that of 

 its ally. Six feet is the length assigned by Gray 

 to the baleen of " Eubalcena australis " ; but of 

 "Eubafana sieboldii" the baleen is stated by the 

 same author to be " nearly as long as the Greenland, 

 varying from seven to twelve feet long, and slender." 

 The difference, therefore, is in the latter instance 

 not great. 



A very singular feature of Balcena^ especially of 

 the present species, is the so-called " bonnet." This 

 is a horny, irregular mass growing on the snout. 

 The irregular shape and pitted appearance of the 

 bonnet gives one the impression that it is a patho- 

 logical structure, a kind of corn, perhaps produced 

 by the animal rubbing itself against rocks, as this 

 species has been observed to do in order to get rid 

 of the barnacles which are apt to infest it. It is not 

 large, eleven inches being about the length of a large 

 one, and this was eight inches in width. It is spoken 

 of as a "rudimentary frontal horn" by Gray, and 

 a comparison with an Ungulate horn, especially that 

 of a rhinoceros, is highly interesting in view of the 

 disputed affinities of whales. We cannot, however, 

 press this comparison at present. 



As to the habits of this whale, they seem to be 

 much those of its nearest ally. They go about 

 singly, in pairs, or three together. Towards the 

 end of the season Scammon tells us that they con- 

 gregate in herds, which are technically known as 

 ; 'gams." This is previous to migration, and the 



