THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 155 
BALAZNOPTERA MUSCULUS (L.). NEWFOUNDLAND. FQCiTUSES. 1901, 
Capture No. Date. Length of Adult. | Length of Foetus. Sex of Fcetus. 
| 
No. I June 20 | 72 ft. o in. | Sli ale. fe) 
No. 14 “ 29 its 5 & 3 “ st “c Q 
No. 19 July 4 | 74 cg, 1S 3 “ 64 “ fo) 
Of the specimens obtained at the same station in 1900, the following females 
‘ contained fcetuses: 
BALAGNOPTERA MUSCULUS (L.). NEWFOUNDLAND. FCETUSES, 1900. 
Capture No. | Date. | Length of Adult. | Length of Foetus. 
| | a 5 
| 
No. 54 | May 31 | 7s} ib 7 vis 
No. 99 | July 10 | . 
73 | 13 “c 
From the foregoing data, it appears that the minimum length at maturity is 
72 feet for females. Excluding all below that length, the average for southern 
Newfoundland, fourteen specimens, is 74 ft. 84 in. 
For the Norwegian specimens, employing the same minimum, we obtain (24 
specimens) 79 ft. 3 in. as the average total length. 
It is to be observed in this connection that the Longniddry whale, which was 
78 ft. 9 in. long from the tip of the lower Jaw to the notch of the flukes, and 
contained a fcetus, is classed by Sir Wm. Turner (91, 203) as “adolescent,” in ac- 
cordance with Flower’s system (45, 885), based on the condition of the epiphy- 
ses of the bones. It is well known that in many species of mammals offspring 
are produced before the skeleton of the parent is completely ossified, but it may 
perhaps be questioned whether in whales the total length increases materially after 
sexual maturity. 
The condition of the bones cannot be ascertained usually at a whaling station, 
where the carcasses are towed away as soon as the blubber is stripped off. It is 
probable, however, that the size at which sexual maturity is attained is quite as con- 
stant as the size at which the skeleton is completely ossified, so that averages based 
on specimens known to be sexually mature may be regarded as reliable and useful. 
Under the ordinary conditions of observation this is not as readily ascertained for 
males as for females. As the males in this genus are smaller than the females, we 
shall have too high an average for the former by excluding all individuals below 
the length of the latter at sexual maturity. The amount, however, is not likely to 
be large and may be neglected. 
For males 72 feet long and above, the average of the specimens measured by 
myself at Balena station, Newfoundland, in 1901, is 72 ft. 44 in. (2 Specimens). 
Including the specimens taken the previous year at the same station, the average 
is 75 ft. 1 in. (19 specimens). For the Norwegian males cited by Cocks, the 
average is 77 ft. 74 in. (27 specimens). The following table sums up these various 
statistics : 
