THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTEEN NORTH ATLANTIC. 



195 



The most notable discrepancy between tlie Portland specimen and those from 

 the European coasts is, perhai)s, that the distance from the snout to the posterior 

 margin of the dorsal fiu in the former is but (56.9?^ of the total length, while 

 with one exception this distance exceeds 70^ in the European specimens. It is 

 true that this distance for the Drogheda, Ireland, specimen, computed from the 

 measurements given by Carte and Macalister (U), is but 68.9^ of the total length, 

 but too much reliance cannot be placed on the measurements of this specimen. 

 That for the flukes is obviously inaccurate.' 



All that can be learned fi-om the foregoing table is that the proportions of the 

 European and American specin)ens show an api)roxiniate ao-i'eement.- 



The photogi'aphs of the specimen from Quoddy Head, Maine, reproduced in 

 plate 28, figs. 3 and 4, show in an admirable manner the stout body, prominent 

 caudal I'idges, sharp head, and strongly curved dorsal fin characteristic of B. acuta- 

 rostrata. They show also that the center of the pectoral fin above and the centei- 



' It is also to be observed that their figure of the exterior, stated to be " made to the scale of 

 I inch to the foot," is not on that scale, and does not agree in proportions with their measurements. 

 They were aware, however, of the discrepancies in the position of the dorsal fin as given by earlier 

 authors. 



"Since the foregoing paragraphs were written, I have received from Mr. J. Henry Blake of 

 Cambridge, Mass., some valuable notes on Cetacea observed on the New England coast, includin<i 

 measurements of a young whale of the present species. These measurements, together with per- 

 centages of the total length of such as are comparable with those of the foregoing table, are as 

 follows : 



Measurement. 



Length from end of lower jaw to notch of flukes (upper jaw little shorter). 



End of jaw to center of eye 



Length of eye 



Eye to shoulder joint 



" " blowholes 



Ear to shoulder joint 



" " axilla 



End of upper jaw to hind [lart of blowholes 



Blowholes to dorsal fin 



Length of mouth from end of low^er jaw 



" pectoral from axilla to tip 



" " " " shoulder joint to tip. ..... . 



" " " " axilla to forward outer edge. 



Shoulder joint to forward part of flukes 



Median line of back to pectoral fin 



Width of pectoral fin 



Height of dorsal fin 



Length " " " 



Dorsal fin to forward part of flukes 



Forward to hind part of flukes at base 



Flukes from tip to tip 



Navel to forward part of flukes 



Genitals to " " " " 



Height of body at dorsal fin 



Greatest girth (just below pectoral fin) 



Tip of upper jaw to hind margin of dorsal fin 



Per cent. 



lOO.O 



i8.o 



13.8 

 10.4 



4.0 

 4.0 



8.0 

 28.7 



71.8 



Blowholes situated 2 in. in front of a perpendicular line from the eye. 

 Ear situated just above a line drawn from the eye to the pector.al fin. 

 Number of abdominal folds, 50. 

 Baleen pure white, 7 in. long. 



