NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM. 159 
Famity II. BALANIDZA. 
I. BALANA, Linn. 
1. B. mysticetus, Zinn. S.N. 1.105. Greentanp WHALE. 
Ricut WHALE. WHALE-BONE WHALE. RocK-NosED WHALE. 
Balena mysticetus, Gray (Cat. Cet. 12); B. graenlandica, 
Linn.; B. Rondeleti, Willoughby. | 
This gigantic species we may claim as a very occasional 
visitant to our seas. Willoughby, in his curious old work, 
called the Ichthyologia (p. 87), records the capture of one at 
Tynemouth, and there is no doubt that other instances have 
occurred more recently. It is, however, much rarer in temperate 
seas than its still more gigantic congener, the Rorqual. We 
quote Willoughby’s description below:— . 
*‘ Projecit in arenas apud Tynemuthum mare hoc nostrum 
mense Augusto anni 1582, mortuam belluam mollis et magnitu- 
dinis ingentissime que jam magna ex parte discerpta est; remanet 
tandem adhuc quantum centum ferme ingentia plaustra avehere 
vix potuerunt. Aiunt qui primum belluam viderunt et ubi 
poterant diligenter perscripserunt, longitudinis illam fuisse 30 
ulnarum hoc est pedum 90. <A ventre ad spinam dorsi que 
arenis profunde immersa jacet spatium esse circiter ipse ibi 
affui, foetente jam bellua, ut vix ferri posset odor. Conjectant 
dorsum ipsius ad spatium trium ulnarum in arenam immersum ; 
nam quotidie alluitur et operitur fluctibus maris. ictus oris 
sex ulne et dimidia. Longitudo mandibule septem ulnex 
cum dimidia circuitus alicubi ulna una cum dimidia; Triginta ~ 
costas in lateribus habet magna ex parte longitudine pedum 
21 circuitu 13.” 
Il. MEGAPTERA. Gray. 
1. M. toneimana, Rudolphi. Jouyston’s Hump-BackED WHALE. 
Balena boops, Eschricht, (K. Danske Vind. Selskab Afh. 
1845, ix. 239. Nord. Wallthier, 1849); 4. longimana, 
Gray, (Cat. Cet. 26); Johnston Nat. Hist. Trans. I. 6.; 
Megapteron boops, Eschricht. 
For an excellent description and figure of this species, we 
t+ Willoughby Hist, Pisc. p. 37. 
