THE PIKE WHALE 53 



The Pike Whale. 



The Bnlaenoptera rostrata. 

 Greyish black above and white below. Baleen yellowish white. A 

 white band across the flippers. Length, 30 feet. 



This Avhale, according to Professor Beddard, pursues fishes, and 

 dog-fishes have been discovered in its stomach. It has also been 

 stated that the stomach contains pebbles. "This is curious," 



(Ann. Mag. Nat. His.) 

 Pike Whale. 



Professor Beddard says, "for, in other whales, and in sea lions, 

 the same observation has been made, and possibly in both cases 

 the stones were taken up accidentally while in pursuit of fish : 

 one can hardly believe that any idea of ballast entered into the 

 mind of the cetacean." 



Family Plujseteridae. 

 No functional teeth in the upper jaw. Skull asymmetrical 

 about the blow-holes. 



Key to the Genera. 



Large— -20 to 25 pairs of teetli. Physeter. 



Small— 9 to 1'2 pairs of teeth. Cogia. 



Genus FJiyseter. 

 Teeth stout and conical. Head about one-third of the length 

 of the body, very high and truncated in front. Blow-hole single 

 at the anterior end of the head. Flippers short and broad. 

 Dorsal fin verv low. 



