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A. E. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 



b. — The Fin-back Whale. (Balamoptera, sp.) 



It is asserted by those formerly conversant with the whale fishery, 

 that a true Fin-back was sometimes seen, but that it was danger- 

 ously pugnacious, and therefore was not attacked. Which species 

 this may have been is quite uncertain, but it may well have been B. 

 physalus L. (See fig. 44«.) 



c. — The Cape Whale ; Black Whale ; Biscay Right Whale. (Balcena 

 glacialis Bonnaterre = /?. cisarctica.) 



Figure 45. 



This whale, which rather closely resembles the true Right Whale 

 or Bow-head of the Arctic Ocean, and has often been mistaken for 

 it, is found on both sides of the Atlantic, in temperate latitudes, 

 entirely south of the range of the Bow-head, which is strictly con- 

 fined to the arctic seas. 



It has, apparently, never been common at the Bermudas, occurring 

 there at long intervals, irregularly and in small numbers, though it 

 was doubtless more common in early times than now, but the early 

 records are usually not explicit enough to distinguish it from the 

 Hump-back. It is a shorter and thicker species, with a stout, bluff 

 head, and no dorsal fin. The slabs of whalebone are much more 

 valuable, and are often 6 to 8 feet long. 



Figure 44a. — Fin-back (B. physalus). 



Figure 45. — The Biscay Eight Whale 

 or Cape Whale. 



I have learned from Mr. Hay ward of St. David's Island, who for- 

 merly engaged in the whale fishery, that these whales were occasion- 

 ally taken, but were always comparatively rare. He also states that 

 one was taken in Castle Harbor, in 1*792, which is the only known 

 instance of a whale being taken in the enclosed bays of the islands. 

 Mayor J. M. Hayward, of St. George's, tells me that a pair of them 

 were taken about 1840. 



But I have not been able to find positive records of any more 

 recent captures of this kind, though Mayor Hayward thinks that 

 two or three of them may have been taken since that date. 



