m)c givUAj llatxivali^t. 



Vol.. II. MAY, 1893. No. 5. 



THE HUMP-BACKKD WHAI.E ON THE IRISH COAST. 



BY ROBERT WARRKN. 



I HAVK much pleasure in bringing under the notice of Irish 

 naturalists an interesting addition to the list of Irish nianinials, 

 by the occurrence on our shores of that rare visitor to British 

 waters, the Hump-backed Whale, Megaptcra boops, Fab., {longi- 

 viajia, Rud.), a fine female specimen having come ashore on 

 the sands of Killala ba}^ at Enniscrone, Co. Sligo, on the 21st 

 March. The animal had probably been feeding too close to 

 shore in the shallow water, and on taking the ground, was 

 overpowered by the surf, and cast upon the sands; it lived for 

 some hours, lashing the water furiously with its tail, and 

 spouting from its blow-holes, and from time to time, opening 

 and shutting its mouth, occasionally giving vent to great 

 sighs or grunts. The body was ver}^ clumsy-looking, and 

 so thick, as to look out of all proportion to its length, and was 

 probably between twenty and thirty feet in circumference. 

 Black in colour all over the upper parts (the under being 

 buried in sand were not visible) except the long, narrow flip- 

 pers, which were white, with a few black spots on the upper 

 sides, and a few patches of white on the margins and under 

 the side of the flukes, and also on the longitudinal folds, or 

 pleats of skin, on the sides of the throat, giving the latter a 

 marbled appearance. To the edges and under sides of the 

 flippers and flukes, and to the under part of the lower jaw 

 were attached a large number of that barnacle (so like a 

 gigantic Balamcs), Cvromila diadcma, varying in size from an 

 inch and a-half to two inches in diameter, and an inch and 

 three-quarters in height; and so firmly fastened to, or em- 

 bedded in the skin, that both blubber and skin had tu be cul 



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