150 THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 



SIZE. 



As we see above, Sars gives the length of B. muscnlus as 90 ft. (Norwegian)/ 

 but expresses the opinion that it may extend to 100 ft. (Norwegian) ~ in some cases. 

 In 1877, CoUett remarked of the species (20, 161) : 



"The usual length of the Blue whale is about 72 ft. 2 in. ■' (22 m.) ; while 

 individuals are frequently caught that are barely 65 ft. 7 in. (20 m.), sometimes 

 specimens are obtained which are between 81 ft. 8 in. and 91 ft. 10 in. (28 m.) 

 in length. On a single occasion Foyn obsei'ved from liis boat an individual whose 

 length he estimated at 132 ft. 10 in. (-10^ m.), but as he had another in tow at the 

 time he could not attack this giant.* Three of the individuals investigated by me 

 in 1874 had a length of between 72 ft. 2 in. and 81 ft. 8 in. The females appear 

 as a rule to be larefer than the males." 



Sophus Hallas measured six specimens in Iceland in 1867 (60, 176), the 

 largest of which, a male, was 80 feet (Danish) from the ti[) of the upper jaw 

 to the notch of the flukes, measured along the curves. 



Cocks has given measurements of the total length of numerous specimens 

 taken at the Finmark stations (iJ to 19). He remarks (15, 17, sep.) : 



"I was told, at third hand, of a Blue whale wliich measured 102 ft., and similar 

 stories are numerous ; but I doul)t if the whales were in any case accurately meas- 

 ured. Dr. Guldberg does not believe it ever attains a length of 100 ft.; a little 

 over 80 ft. is, I believe, the longest that has been at all accurately measured at 

 Vai-diJ, and whales of this length are the exception. Dr. Guldbei'g ( Vardo Posleti, 

 Sei^t. 2, 1883) says of this species: 'Its length varies between 70 and 80 ft.; the 

 individuals that are 70 ft. and under, I have always found to be rather young, and 

 not full-grown. That it can attain to a length of over 80 ft. is certainly unquestion- 

 able, although it may be very seldom. But the numerous measurements which 

 have been taken of various individuals are not trustworthy, since they are not 

 measured in a right line from the point of the under jaw to the cleft in the 

 tailfln.'"^ 



In his reports on the fishery seasons of 1885 and 1886, Cocks gives measure- 

 ments of numerous specimens of the Blue whale (17 and 18). The largest of these 

 is 87 ft. 7 in. (85 feet, Noi'wegian). 



In 1886 Guldbeig, in a valuable paper on the biology of the North Atlantic 

 Finback whales (51, 164), confirmed and extended his observations on the size of 



' Equals 92 ft. 8 in., English. 



' Equals 103 feet, English. 



' The measurements given in feet in the original I have translated into English feet and 

 inches for convenience. — F. W. T. 



' The fact of having a whale in tow would not have hindered Captain Bull of the Newfound- 

 land station from attacking a second individual, however large. He frequently brought in two at a 

 time. 



'Guldberg's measurements are, no doubt, Norwegian, so that his statement should read: It 

 varies between 72 ft. i in. and 82 ft. 5 in., English. Individuals 72 ft. i in., English, and under are 

 young, etc. 



