108 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF 



On the 4th of November, 1827, some fishermen of 

 Ostend discovered the dead body of a female whale float- 

 ing in the sea, between the coasts of England and Bel- 

 gium. Not being able to tow the enormous carcass 

 themselves, the master of the shallop Dolphin of Ostend, 

 who had likewise discerned it, employed the aid of his 

 vessel and crew to move it, but without success. They 

 then called to their assistance two other vessels, and by 

 their united efforts surmounted the difficulty, and were 

 enabled to appear in sight of Ostend at four o'clock next 

 day; as soon as they entered the harbour, the rope 

 broke, and it was cast upon the eastern side. 



The appearance of a whale of such enormous dimen- 

 sions created a great sensation, inasmuch as those which 

 had formerly been stranded or captured on the coast of 

 Flanders were of much smaller dimensions, and none 

 had appeared during the present century. These, how- 

 ever, I shall briefly notice. 



In the year 1178, the magistrates of Bruges offered 

 to Count Philip a sea monster, or whale, which had been 

 thrown, in consequence of a great tempest, on the coast 

 of Ostend. This animal measured forty-two feet in 



of this animal, and of the anatomy of thejskeleton, then exhibiting on the 

 site of the late King's Mews at Charing Cross. This paper having been 

 approved of by many eminent zoological anatomists and naturalists, I have 

 at their request given it a place in this work : it is copied from the Maga- 

 zine of Natural History, so ably conducted by J. C. Loudou, Esq. I may 

 here observe, that the word Rorqual signifies, in the Norwegian language, 

 " a whale with furrows ;" hence it is very expressive of the distinguishing 

 characteristics of this animal. 



The lithographic drawing of the B. Rorqual will be found on the same 

 plate with the B. Jubartes: it was taken previous to the dissection of the 

 animal, by order of Mons. Kessel at Ostend, in 1827, and is the only cor- 

 rect one extant ; it is copied from the large one presented to me by that 

 gentleman, in May 1832. The scientific reader is respectfully requested 

 to contrast this view of the " Rorqual," with the inaccurate one given by 

 Count La Cepede, and then remark the striking difference. 



