162 THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NOKTH ATLANTIC. 



conspicuous manner than in any other whale with which I am acquainted. 

 The name ' Blue whale,' bestowed on this species by Foyii, seems to me very suit- 

 able, and I will therefore propose that it be adopted for the species as the 

 Norweo-ian common name. The [lectoral fins externally are of tbe color of the 

 body, but on the inner surface and the whole lower convex l)order, shining white, 

 which color at a long distance contrasts sharply with the dai-k tints of the rest of 

 the body. Quite constantly there occur also below the {)ectorals on the fluted sides 

 of the breast a number of small milk-white spots, whose number and distribution 

 vaiy considerably in different individuals. In addition, I have found in all indi- 

 viduals, more or less sti'ongly marked, a lighter mottling above the roots of the 

 pectorals and between them and the region of the eye. The flukes, as well above 

 as below, are of the color of the body, but on the lower sui-face a little lighter tban 

 on the upper." 



The color of the 25 or 30 Newfoundland specimens which I observed agreed 

 well with this description, though I found, as in the case of the Common Finback, 

 that there was a large individual vai-iation, no two specimens being precisely alike. 



Neither Sars's figure nor his description gives an adequate idea of the compli- 

 cated coloration of the species. It would be futile to attempt a detailed desci'iption 

 of the markings, but some idea may be given of the general disposition of the lighter 

 and darker tints. In the Sulphurbottonis of Newfoundland the head, chin, throat, 

 and lips are dark bluish-gray, darker than the I'est of the body and uniform. All 

 the remainder of the body is variously spotted, mottled, and lined with light gray, 

 dark gray, and white. The shoulders, l>ack, and sides are mottled \vith large ii'regu- 

 larly elliptical marks of dark gi-ay and light gray, the latter genei'ally predominating, 

 and sometimes almost excluding the dark color, so that the whole animal behind 

 the eyes appears light gray. Even in these cases, however, there are areas of nioi'e 

 or less dark color above the pectoral fins (\vhen laid back) and the anus, and 

 between the latter and the flukes. 



The long axes of the elliptical light-gray markings take different directions. 

 They sweep up annmd the base of the pectoral fin and are then directed obliquely 

 downward and backwai'd above the posteiior ends of the furrows. They then 

 point directly backward, or those of the upper rows upward and backward toward 

 the top of the caudal peduncle. 



The belly is invariably marked with distinct white spots, which, however, vary 

 greatly in number. In some cases they are so numerous under the root of the 

 pectoral fin as to produce a large white area, extending as a band backward toward 

 the navel, and some spots are to be found down to the median line and scattered 

 forward considerably in fi'ont of the pectoi'al fin, a few even invading the lips. In 

 other cases the white spots run off the pectoral flutings posterioily on to the flanks, 

 between the navel and the anus. In other cases again, there ai'e no white spots 

 anterior to the base of the pectoral fin, and they only extend down to the median 

 line at the posterior end of the pectoral flutings and there stop. 



The under surface of the flukes near the root, froui the anterior margin back- 

 ward, is finely marked with alternating light and dark gray lines I'unning antero- 

 posterioily, hut finally curving inward towai'd the median line. 



