BAL^NA MYSTICETUS. — BAL.^iNOPTERA. 159 



a strainer for the food, which consists of molluscous, radiate, 

 or crustaceous animals, with which the ocean in some 

 parts abounds, and which are taken in by the Whale 

 with open mouth, the water accompanying them being 

 discharged through the plates of whalebone. The body 

 is bulky forwards, largest about the middle, and taper 

 rather suddenly towards the tail. The head is narrow 

 above, very broad, flat, and rounded beneath ; it occupies 

 one-third of the entire length. The line of meeting of the 

 upper and lower lips appears in front in the form of the 

 letter U. The eyes are remarkably small. The external 

 opening of the ears is scarcely perceptible. Pectorals of 

 moderate size, placed about two feet behind the angle of the 

 lips. The tail is of great breadth, semilunate on its ante- 

 rior margin, deeply di^dded in the middle. The anterior 

 part of the body is nearly cylindrical, the hinder portion 

 rhomboid. General colour blackish grey ; the front of the 

 lower jaw and part of the throat and belly white. 



The usual length is from 50 to 65 feet, and the greatest 

 girth from 30 to 40 feet. 



Abounds in the IS'orthern Seas, where great numbers are 

 taken every year for the sake of their oil and whalebone, 

 one animal sometimes yielding twenty tons of oil, and 

 whalebone twelve feet long. 



Is not of very uncommon occurrence on the British and 

 other coasts of Northern and Western Europe, and of the 

 Mediterranean Sea. 



Genus BALJENOPTERA. 



Head somewhat depressed, rather slender ; palate fui'- 

 nished with short plates of whalebone ; no teeth ; a dorsal 

 fin ; longitudinal folds on the throat and belly. 



