A BOOK OF~ WHALES 



i 



from the fashion in which the whale takes in its food. 

 Like the genus Bal<zna, Balanoptera takes in huge 

 masses of Crustacea and other minute organisms, 

 which are swallowed after the accompanying water 

 is strained off through the whalebone ; but in Balana 

 the mouth is especially huge, owing to the arched 

 form of the skull, a feature so characteristic of that 

 genus and one which distinguishes it from Balcenoptera. 

 To make up for the reduced size of the mouth cavity, 

 the equally colossal Bal&noptera can expand this 

 cavity by means of the said folds, which then enable 

 the skin to be puffed out ; when the need for the 

 increase in mouth capacity is passed the folds form 

 again. 



A Bal&noptera without throat grooves has been 

 mentioned by Olafsen and Povelsen (quoted by F. 

 Cuvier), but the veracity, or at least powers of 

 observation, of these two writers* is discounted by 

 the fact that they assign a length of 200 feet to 

 the Right whale, and speak of the Marmenill or 

 marine man as an existing fact. But perhaps after 

 all they had seen Rhachianectes, unknown of course 

 to Cuvier. 



As to the different species of Bal&noptera there 

 are, as it appears, certainly four. We shall therefore 

 deal with these four, and then say a few words about 

 " Finners " which have got different names. 



Dr. Collett, in a paper already alluded to in relation 

 to the fishery of these whales, has in a convenient 



* De VHist. No.*. Cetacees, p. 307. 



