02 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF 



GENUS II. 



THE BALvENOTTER^E, OR FINNED WHALES. 



The animals which constitute this tribe agree with the 

 true balsena in having their upper jaw furnished with 

 horny laminse being entirely destitute of teeth, and 

 having two distinct orifices for the spiracles (or blow- 

 holes), placed towards the middle of the upper part of 

 the head. But they are distinguished from them in 

 being provided with a dorsal fin. Count La Cepede very 

 properly divides this genus into two sections. The 

 first of these is distinguished by the throat and belly 

 being destitute of folds. The second has longitudinal 

 folds beneath the throat and belly. According to La 

 Cepede there are four species, one belonging to the first 

 subdivision, and three to the second. I may observe 

 that the word halandptera is derived from balcena a 

 ivhale, and pteron a Jin or wing. 



SUBDIVISION I. 



SPECIES L— THE BALjENO'PTERA GIBBAR, 

 OR RAZOR-BACKED WHALE.* 



This species of whale is considerably longer and more 

 slender than the common whale, which is probably the 

 most bulky, and at the same time the most powerful, 

 of all created beings. 



* Synonymes. — Balsna Phy salts. Linne " System." Gmelin ; Baleine 

 Gibbar, Bonnat. " Encycloped. Methodique ;" Fin-Fish, Martin's " Spitz- 



