CHAPTER II. 



THE FINNER WHALES AND RORQUALS. 



THE HUMPBACK OR BUNCHED WHALES — THE RORQUALS OR BIG FINNERS — DIFFICULTY OF 

 TAKING THEM — THE NORTHERN FINNER — THE SULPHUR-BOTTOM — ADVENTURE OF THE 

 SHIP " PLYMOUTH " — THE GREAT INDIAN RORQUAL — ANCIENT ACCOUNTS OF IT — THE 

 PIKE WHALE — THE SOUTHERN RORQUAL — THE CALIFORNIA GRAY WHALE. 



THE second family, Bal^nopterid.e, comprises the Finner' 

 Whales and Rorquals, which are characterized by possessing 

 a dorsal fin, and by having the baleen, or whalebone, less 

 developed. The head is moderate in size, the body elongate, the belly 

 usually marked with longitudinal plaits. They are abundant in all the 

 Northern seas, occasionally found in the Tropical seas, and reappear in 

 the Southern hemisphere in less numbers than in the Northern. The 

 family is divided into nine genera, containing tivcnty-two species. We 

 describe the most typical. 



GENUS MEGAPTERA. 



The animals of this genus are distinguished by having the flippers 

 elongated, and the dorsal fin placed very low, the flippers attaining to 

 one-fifth, or even one-fourth of the total length of the animal. From 

 this extraordinary development the genus derives its name Megaptera, 

 from the Greek words mcgas '• great " and pteron a " wing or fin." 

 When the integument is removed these flippers are seen to be provided 

 with only four fingers. The whalebone is of little value, being short, 

 not splitting kindly, and becoming twisted when dry. 



THE HUMPBACK WHALE. 



The Humpback or Bunched Whale, Megaptera longimana, may 

 be taken as the representative of the genus. It is found in all parts of 



