BALEEN PLATES 



325-360 per side; plates to 14 

 inches (35.6 cm) at base and 

 longest plates up to 14 feet 

 (4.3 m) long. Dark gray or 

 black with gray fringes; 

 anterior margin of some 

 plates whitish, showing 

 green iridescence in sun- 

 light. 



250-390 per side; plates 12 

 inches (30.5 cm) at base and 

 up to 7.2 feet (2.2 m) long. 

 Dirty gray with black frin- 

 ges; some anterior plates 

 partly or completely white. 



BONNET AND OTHER CALLOSITIES 

 Not present. Present. 



Figure 43. — Swimming adult bowhead whales, particularly males, often 

 show two characteristic humps or curves to the back — one on the head, 

 ending just behind the blowholes, and a larger curve from just behind the 

 blowholes to near the flukes; the second is accentuated when the animal 

 humps up to begin a dive. {Photo by J. Lentfer.) 



"■%!• 



' ^^^tf^'^^^I^B 



•Jr. 





Figure 44. - 



-Bowbead whales have no dorsal fin. The back is smooth and black, though often irregularly spaced 

 white or grayish scars of unknown origin appear. (Photoi by J. Lentfer.) 



50 



