500 ACCOUNT OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 



extensive slaughter of the Delphiniis Deductor has 

 taken place on the shores of the British and other 

 northern islands. 



Delphinapterus Beluga (La Cepede:) — DelpMnus lett- 

 cas of Linne ; Beluga of Pennant, or White Whale of the 

 fishers. 



The Beluga is not unlike the narwal in its gene- 

 ral form ; but is thicker about the middle of its bo- 

 dy in proportion to its length. The anterior extre- 

 mity being paraboloidal, and the head small, blunt 

 and round, give it a strong resemblance to the nar- 

 wal. Its length is equal to that of the narwal ; ac- 

 cording to La Cepede six or seven metres. Both 

 jaws are furnished with teeth. It has no dorsal fin. 

 The skin is smooth, the colour white. Some indi- 

 viduals that I have seen, were of a yellow colour, 

 approaching to orange. 



A male animal of this kind was taken in the 

 Frith of Forth, in the month of June 1815. Its 

 length was IS feet 4 inches, and its greatest circum- 

 ference nearly 9 feet. A paper relating to its cap- 

 ture and external appearance, by Mr P. Neill, was 

 read before the Wernerian Society, on the 7th De- 

 cember 1816 ; and an account of its internal struc- 

 ture by Dr Barclay, was read before the same So- 

 ciety at its next meeting. A beautiful drawing of 



