144 THE BEAKED WHALE. 



Species Y. — The Beaked Whale. 



i 



Balaena Rostrata; L. 

 Balsenoptera Acuto Rostrata: La Cepede. 



This is the last and the smallest of the whale- 

 bone whales with which I am acquainted. An ani- 

 mal of this species was killed in Scalpa Bay, No- 

 vember 14, 1808. Its length was iyl feet, circum- 

 ference %0 feet, length from the snout to the dorsal 

 fin 171 feet, from the snout to the pectoral fin 5 

 feet, from the snout to the eye 3§ feet, and from the 

 snout to the blowholes 3 feet. Pectoral fins two 

 feet long and seven inches broad; dorsal fin 15 

 inches long by 9 inches high, tail 15 inches long 

 by 4| feet broad. Largest whalebone about six 

 inches. Colour of the back black; of the belly 

 glossy white; and of the grooves of the plicae, ac- 

 cording to Mrs. Traill, who saw it on the beach 

 in Scalpa Bay, a sort of flesh colour. 



The Rostrata is said to inhabit principally the 

 Norwegian seas, and to grow to the length of 25 

 feet. One of the species was killed near Spitz- 

 bergen, in the year 1813, some of the whalebone 

 of which I now have in my possession. It is thin, 

 fibrous, of a yellowish white colour, and semi-trans- 

 parent, almost like lantern horns. It is curved like 

 a scymetar, and fringed with white hair on the con- 

 vex edge and point. Its length is 9 inches; greatest 

 breadth 2i. 



