286 THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 



have been " improved " by the lithograpbei'S. Scammon's rough outliue figui-e does 

 not help to uoderstaud the more elaborate one. While in general it resembles B. 

 muSGulus, the folds, etc., are laid on iu a very indifferent maunei-, so tliat exact 

 comparisons are out of the question. 



It is to be remarked that Scammou states that the color of tlie under surfaces 

 of the body is "of a yellowish cast, or sulphur color." The Newfoundland Sulphur- 

 bottoms which I examined were not of this color, though certain individuals, both 

 of this species and of the common Finback, were more or less tinged with yellowish. 

 This tinge was, however, purely an external manifestation, due either to an oily 

 exudation from the skin, or to slime in the water or the oily matter in the food. 

 The oily coating could be readily rubbed off, when the skin was seen to be gray. 

 If the Pacific coast Suli)hurbottoms are really furnished with a yellow pigment 

 under the epidermis, this constitutes a difference from their Athmtic ally. I can 

 not help feeling that the name Sulphurbottom liad something to do with the 

 assertion that the under surfaces of the Ijody were sulphur color. 



If Scammon really had an opportunity to see a specimen of J3. sulfareus close 

 at band, it is very remarkable that he did not comment on the extraordinaiy mottled 

 coloration, if the species is at all like B. museulus in that i-egaixl. We must believe, 

 either that he never saw a specimen, or that the s[)ecies is very differently colored 

 from B. museulus, and therefore quite distinct. Considering that the whalebone is 

 precisely like that of B. museulus in color and foim, and that Scammon does not 

 anywhere state definitely that he examined fresh specimens of the animal, the 

 probabilities are in favor of a similarity rather than a divei'sity of color. 



The whalebone ^vhich Prof. Cope mentions as having been received by the 

 Smithsonian Institution from Capt. Scammon is not now to be found. There are, 

 however, in the National Museum two pieces (Nos. 13984-5 U. S. N. M.) labelled 

 as having been obtained by Capt. Scammon at Monterey, Cal., in 1873, and 8 pieces 

 (No. 72692 U. S. N. M., Eth.) obtained from the Makah Indians, Neah Bay, Wash- 

 ington. These are all very thick and heavy, and entirely black, both blade and 

 bristles. Of Capt. Scammon's specimens one. No. 13984, is 28^ in. long; the other, 

 No. 13985, 27A in. long. The longest of the Neah Bay pieces, No. 72692, is 80 in. 

 lone. The inner edires are broken and the width at the base in the original state 

 cannot be given. There is no appreciable difference between this whalebone and 

 that of the Sulphurbottoms taken at Newfoundland. 



Since nothing is known of the osteology of this species and the present material 

 is so scant, the questions concerning its identity can not now be satisfactorily 

 determined. 



Regarding this species Van Beneden wrote in 1889 (7, 259) : "The American 

 and English whalers often speak of a BaloBnoptera under the name of Sulphurbottom. 

 . , . We have many reasons to believe that this Sulphurbottom is also a synonym 

 of B. SibbaMii [= B. museulus L.]. That which confirms us in this identification 

 is the examination which we have had occasion to make at Vienna, of some baleen 

 designated by this name by Capt. Charles Scammon and which Prof. Steindachner 

 had himself brought from San Francisco." 



