ANATOMY OF MEGAPTERA LONGIMANA. 15 



mesial line, a white streak, like a chalk line on a blackboard. 

 It began 2 to 3 inches in front of the mammillary pouch, and 

 was seen as far as the epidermis was present, which was for 12 

 inches. The white went through and through the epidermis, 

 and a corresponding groove was present in the cutis vera, 

 traceable as far back as 10 inches behind the anus on the left 

 side, on the right side only for 12 inches behind the mammillary 

 pouch. The papillae of the cutis were shorter and finer on the 

 groove. Besides these perineal lines and the white at the 

 prepuce, there were, near the mammillary pouch and forward to 

 the umbilical region, white spots like hailstones, and towards 

 the umbilical fissure a few white streaks. These streaks were, 

 on the left side, some 6 inches from the mesial line, and linear, 

 and on the right side a row of spots corresponded to one of the 

 streaks of the left side. These white streaks went through and 

 through the epidermis, and corresponding grooves were present 

 in the cutis vera.^ 



^ Variations in the Colour of Mccjaptcra. — The colour of the outer surface of the 

 pectoral fin iu this Megaptera was stated to me, by observers who had good views 

 of the whale as it sported in the Tay, to be black. But where it lay on its belly 

 at Dundee that surface was variously stated to me to be white, to be black, and 

 to have black patches. When I went to dissect it at Dundee the epidermis was 

 off. Statements of the colour of parts of a whale when not fresh, and not made 

 by an experienced observer, are not reliable. When the epidermis is off, the 

 cutis vera is at first white or cream-coloured, like the skin of a well-washed 

 white pig ; then under exposure for some time to the air it becomes bluish, and 

 on being scraped, the cream colour is restored. The acquired bluish colour 

 appears to be on the fine hair-like papillre of the cutis vera. In regard to the 

 question of the colour of the outer surface of the paddle of Megaptera longimana, 

 Eschricht says (p. 147) — " Die Brustflossen aber sind an beiden Fliichen rein 

 weiss." From the account given by Mr A. H. Cocks {J.oe. cit.) of a number of 

 Humpbacks he examined on shore, it would appear that there is considerable 

 variation in the colour of this part. He notes, 1884 — (1) Male, 40 feet, paddles 

 black on the outer side, white on inner side, the black extending to round the 

 borders, " with an occasional blotch of black, and two or three black rings " also 

 on the inner side ; length of paddle to head of humerus 11 feet 4 inches, greatest 

 breadth 3 feet 2 inches. " The throat with the furrows and nearly the whole of 

 the under side was white." (2) Male, 44 feet, outer surface of paddles black on 

 the proximal quarter only. Length of paddles 15 feet (measured to skin of 

 axilla about 13 feet 9 inches), greatest breadth 3 feet 7 inches. (3) Male, 30 feet, 

 paddles "only black on the upper side a little way down from proximal end." 

 In 1886 — (4) Male, 35 feet, outer side of paddles "black for only a very short 

 distance at the proximal end." (5) 41-42 feet, outer side of paddle black only on 

 proximal quarter, " the black extending down the anterior edge, with a few 

 small irregular black marks lower down." (6) Male, 42 feet, "very little black 

 on the outside of the flippers, including a narrow rim along the hinder edge." 



