are nearly half way from the tip of the snout to corner of the 

 mouth; and in M. derisirostris, they are located in large 

 prominences near the back of the mouth. 



If the animal is a female or an immature male, however, 



museum preparation and examination might be required 

 before the species can be positively determined. The 

 following four sections summarize characters of western 

 North Atlantic beaked whales. 



<<«. 



^^^^;:>K 







^^4^ 







Figure 77. — Various views of a herd of five or six unidentified beaked whales, possibly dense-beaked whales, 12 miles off Pokai Bay, Oahu, flawaii. The 

 animals were very shy and had low indistinct blows, making them difficult to spot and track. As they surfaced, individuals frequently bucked their heads 

 and slapped the chin against the surface, rather than rolling. They did not raise their tail flukes when beginning their long dives. {Photos by E. 

 ShaUenberger, Sea Life Park, Hawaii.) 



{Because so little is known of beaked whales every encounter should be recorded in as much detail as possible. | 



75 



