THE WHALEBONE WHALES OE THE WESTEKN NORTH ATLANTIC. 



267 



me, but it appears singular that tlie matter lias not attracted the attention of Ameri- 

 can historians, considering its importance in connection with the history of the dis- 

 covery of America. 



The " Sarde " should, of course, be the Kight whale of the Atlantic coast of the 

 United States, Canada, and Newfoundland, B. cisarctica Cope. Fischer, even, 

 seems to have little doubt of that fact. He recalls Givay's chiim that it is distinct 

 because it has 14 pairs of ribs, while the San Sebastian wliale has 15 ' and further- 

 more has the fii'st pair bifurcated, but is not impressed with the importance 

 of tliese distinctions. He adds : 



" The notable difference which I find between the B. cisarctica and the Biscay 

 whale is the greater relative length of the head of the former. According to the 

 measurements given by Cope, the length of the head in B. cisarctica is to the total 

 length as 1 to 3.69 ; in Segnette's whale the proportion is 1 to 4 ; in the young 

 whale of San Sebastian the propoi'tiou is still less, and appi'oaches 1 to 5. We shall 

 see further on that the whale stranded at Tarauto in 1877 has the head extremely 

 small, 1 to 5."° 



What is meant by the " head " in this and other discussions of proportions by 

 vai'ious Eui'opean authors is not clear. The length of the skull as compared 

 with that of the skeleton is as follows in various American and European 

 specimens : 



BAL^NA OLACIALIS BONNATERRE. AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN. LENGTH OF SKULL. 



Locality. 



Charleston, S. C 



San Sebastian, Spain 

 Guetaria " 



Cape Lookout, N. C. 



New Jersey 



Taranto, Italy 



Sex. 



No. of times length of skull is con- 

 tained in length of skeleton. 



3-73 

 363 



3-74^ 

 4-77' 



Authority 



F. W. T. 



Gasco 



Graells 



F. W. T. 



Cope 



Gasco 



It will be observed that the proportion is remarkably constant in both the 

 American and the European specimens, considering the uncertainties involved 

 in comparing measurements made by different observei's. The Taranto skeleton 

 alone offers a marked depai'ture. Considering the whole series, it liai-dly seems 

 probable that there is any real foundation for the character brought forward 

 by Fischer. 



' Incorrect — Gasco gives 13 pairs, but considers that there may have been 14 pairs. 

 '"From the animal in the flesh; but from the skeleton this proportion is not more than 

 I to 3.98, or in round number, i to 4." (Foot-note by Fischer.) 



' Type of B. cisarctica. Cope's measurements. My own measurements give 3.84. 

 * See Fischer's foot-note. 



