THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 161 
Sophus Hallas’s excellent table of measurements of six Sulphurbottoms taken 
at Iceland in 1867 (60) affords means of comparing the Newfoundland and Nor- 
wegian specimens with Icelandic ones. His measurements reduced to percentages 
are given in the preceding table. 
The averages for these six Iceland specimens and for the ten Newfoundland 
males, are as follows: 
BALA{NOPTERA MUSCULUS (L.). ICELAND AND NEWFOUNDLAND, 
Ten Newfoundland 
Measurement. Iceland Specimens. Specimens. 
Males. 
per cent. per cent. 
Mi prOhSNONbtOVey ern entrscrsvsie cityersae ocrvere saree Fareteusiere 5.3 6046 (3) 20.6 21.1 
Me Weebl owhole py etic cic terse eo seen recyae et ae (3) 17.9 17.9 
pene eek ena DECLOTAl erepic ae oe: sietavaks asa crer eta euatersiansieie edhe sie (1) 31.6" (9) Buen 
ee pOstmmarcinrof dorsal eera-rcerer seer eels ar (2) eS (9) 77.8 
NIQUE OH HIKES TOES o Go's Gunoounadd 06 esoGadoou mundo dU on (1) 25.4 28.1 
amen MS DENIS HR ate eu sterrtsac ce fchs carats. ose statnunnsieleoauaves ve oe (2) 34.7 (9) 35.2 
enethvompectoraleemmer eee ocr erica tareielsss eee us eia © las (6) nee 10.77 
ede te from) headvof humeruSessqee eee venice = (6) 14.7 mls) 
Greatest breddthvoteypectonalaemiw etree aeleloieeii ei cietslet = sal (Gi) 3.2 3.8 
ISK elt ov takers setiy wile a oso Ge pear OOO DATED OD erat (3) 0.78 1.05 
Bea cdthMo teil tik eserves xs Moy teh ca icisiets ice susiorqets e eiteleenewlo/are (3) 19.9 (2) 23.9 
The agreement of the Iceland and Newfoundland specimens in many propor- 
tions is very close. The principal discrepancies are in the distance from the notch 
of the flukes to the anus, in the height of the dorsal fin, and in the breadth of the 
flukes. The first measurement was made on only one Iceland specimen. As to the 
second—the height of the dorsal,—it can only be said that the individual measure- 
ments and the average are within the limits of variation of the Newfoundland speci- 
mens in this particular. Still it would rather be expected that one of the three 
Iceland specimens measured by Hallas would have had a higher dorsal, if there is 
no constant difference between Iceland and Newfoundland Sulphurbottoms. Of 
the discrepancy in the breadth of the flukes little can be said, as the measurements 
are so few, and in the Newfoundland specimens so uncertain. 
COLOR. 
The best description of the color of European B. musculus with which I am 
acquainted is that given by Sars in 1874 (78, 233; 9,sep.), after he had seen ten 
specimens of the species at Foyn’s whaling station in Finmark. It is as follows: 
“Tn all the examples observed by me the whole body, as well on the back as 
on the belly, was of a uniform blue-gray or slate-gray color, somewhat darker on 
the head and breast, and lightest along the sides, where there is found a quite fine 
and peculiar mottling of darker and lighter shades. ‘The whole ground color of the 
whale, seen at a distance, has very distinctly a bluish cast, and that in a more 
‘To anterior base ? * To posterior base, or axilla. * Points of measurement not stated. 
