66 BEAKED WHALE. Class IV. 



The back fin was placed rather nearer the tail than 

 the head, and was a foot long: the breadth of the 

 tail was three feet two inches. 



Thefe fifh fometimes grow to the length of 

 twenty feet ; they make but little noife in blowing, 

 are very tame, come very near the fhips, and will 

 accompany them for a great way. 



Belon defcribes and figures a fifh very much re- 

 fembling, if not the fame with this : he fays k 

 furnifhed whale- bone, Dont les Dames font au- 

 jourdhuy leurs buftes et arrondijfent leurs verdugades* 9 

 by which it appears, that the commodity was but 

 newly known at that time in France. He adds, 

 that the tongue was very good eating, and both 

 that and the flefh ufed to be faked for provifion. 



* Belon de lanat. l2c. des PoiJ/bns, 1 555, p. 6, by which 

 it appears that the French were acquainted with that article 

 3t left forty years before we were. 



Cetaceous 



