THE RE-ENTRANTS 



iPERM WHALE 



Fig. 193. Whales. 



and a wedge-shaped head. The humpback whale, Megaptera nodosa, is stocky 

 of body and has very long, knobby flippers. It reaches 50 feet in length. Both 

 of these are found in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. 



The right whales (/xg. 193\ Euhalaena species, and the bowhead whale, 

 Balaena mysticetus, have no dorsal fins or throat ridges, but have huge heads with 

 arched mouths and broad, rounded flippers in contrast to the tapering flippers 

 of rorquals. Both are found in both the Atlantic and Pacific and reach 60 feet 

 or more. These are slower whales than ridge-throated whales and were so 

 persecuted by whalers that they are now rather rare. They are increasing 

 slowly under international protection. 



The California gray whale, Eschrichtius glaucus (/ig. 193\ is a medium-sized 

 whale reaching 40 feet in length. It is gray in color and has a small head. 

 Formerlv it abounded on coasts, especially in lagoons and estuaries from Baja 

 California north to Japan. Now it is rare but is increasing under protection. 

 It is said to be so terrified in the presence of killer whales that it offers no fight, 

 merely lying on its back and hanging out its tongue, which is eaten by the 

 killers. 



Toothed Whales: Suborder Odontoceti 



These whales have teeth and never possess baleen. There is only one nostril 

 so the spout is single. Most of the species of the suborder are small, and a great 

 number of them are rare and very poorly known. Many of them eat squids, 

 but they are mainlv fish-eaters. 



