Figure 20. — Probably a fin whale (perhaps a 

 Bryde's whale) breaching in the eastern tropical 

 Pacific. This type of behavior has been described 

 for humpback, minke, and fin whales but is far more 

 common for the first two species. Breaching fin 

 whales often reenter the water with a resounding 

 splash, much like humpback whales, but sometimes 

 smoothly, head first, as minkes sometimes 

 do. (Photo by K. D. Sexton, courtesy of National 

 Marine Fisheries Service. ) 



Figure 21 . — A head-on view of a fin whale stranded 

 at Ormond Beach, Fla. Note the flat narrow 

 appearance of the head and the single, central head 

 ridge. {Photo by F. Essapian, courtesy of Marine- 

 land of Florida.) 



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