624 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.xxl 



synonym, and adds references to ten early authors, ^l^lian, Pliny, Ges- 

 uer, etc., with tbe remark, " These synonyms are seen to pertain to the 

 same species with ' a '" [i. e., Ray]. 



We have already considered Ray's description, and have concluded 

 that it M'as copied from Martens, and refers to the common finback. 



The descriptions of the earlier authors are for the most part indeter- 

 minable, so far as species are concerned, and some relate to entirely 

 different classes of animals. ^Elian's Physalus, for example, is a small 

 fish of the Red Sea, which has the power of inflating itself and float- 

 ing on the waves. This was probably a globefish, or Tetrodon. 



The Physeter of Rondelet was very probably the sperm whale, as we 

 have already stated. 



"Faun. suec. 265"=LINN^US, Fauna Suecica, 1746, p. 99, No. 265. 



Liunreus in this place copies Artedi's diagnosis, which the latter in 

 turn took from Ray, and he from Martens. He cites some six of the 

 early authors — Gesuer, Jonstou, etc. — where whales called "Physeter" 

 are mentioned, but some of them at least, as we have already .seen, 

 treat of the sperm whale. 



Liunffius adds this independent information: "Lives in the jS^orwe- 

 gian sea and is eaten by the natives; tastes nearly like the sturgeon, 

 which was eaten daily by the natives while it migrated by northern 

 Fiumark to the highest part of Norway.'' 



As four si)ecies of finback whales are known to frequent Norwegian 

 waters, the one particularly referred to in this item can not, of course, 

 be discriminated, though very i^robably it was the "common" finback. 



Here, then, as in the case of Raj'^ and Artedi, we are obliged to turn 

 back to Martens as the only means of determining the proper use of 

 the specific name Physalus. We have already decided that Martens's 

 "Fiufisch" was the common finback, usually called Balicnoptera mus- 

 cuius. 



To sum up the matter, then, it seems necessary to bestow on the com 

 mon finback the name of Bakvnoptcra 2)hysalus (Linntneus). 



This is more important than would at first appear, because, as I shall 

 hope to show, the sjiecific name musculus, now in common use for this 

 whale, is misapplied. Unless the Linntean name physalus is accepted, 

 it will be necessary to apply some other cognomen. I am of the opinion, 

 however, tha,t physalus should be considered applicable. 



2. BAL^NA BOOPS. 



Linnaius's diagnosis of his Balcena Boops is as follows : "5. fistula 

 dupUci in rostro, dorso extremo protiiberantia cornea.^^ (A whale with a 

 double blowhole in the snout; a horny protuberance at the end of the 

 back.) 



This diagnosis is in no wise specific, but, as we shall see presently, 

 was taken from a description in Sibbald's Phalainologia. Linn?eus adds 



