4r»2 ACCOUNT OF THE AIICTIC REGIONS. 



The physalis occurs, in great numbers in the 

 Arctic Seas, especially along the edge of the ice, 

 between Cherie Island and Nova Zembla, and also 

 near Jan Mayen. Persons trading to Archangel have 

 often mistaken it for the common whale. It is sel- 

 dom seen among much ice, and seems to be avoided 

 by the mysticetus ; as such, the whale-fishers view 

 its appearance with painful concern. It inhabits 

 most generally in the Spitzbergen quarter, the pa- 

 rallels of 70 to 76 degrees ; but in the months of 

 June, July and August, when the sea is usually 

 open, it advances along the land to the northward 

 as high as the 80th degree of latitude. In open sea- 

 sons it is seen near the Headland, at an earlier pe- 

 riod. A whale, probably of this kind, 101 feet in 

 length, was stranded on the banks of the Humber 

 about the middle of September 1750. 



Bal.enoptera Rorqual (La Cepede :) — Baloena Mtt^culus 

 of Linne, 07- Broad-nosed Whale. 



This species of whale frequents the coasts of Scot- 

 land, Ireland, Norway, &c., and is said to feed prin- 

 cipally upon herrings. Several characters of the mus- 

 culus very much resemble those of the physalis, 

 though, 1 believe, there is an essential difference be- 

 tween the two animals ; the musculus being short- 

 er, having a larger head and mouth, and a rounder 



