216 THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIO. 
MEGAPTERA NODOSA (BONNATERRE), AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN, SIZE, 
Average for Maximum*| Maximum? 
Average for all Averscerdt 
ge for Average for Average for 
enecimensiof all females. all males. eae mature males, ae ine 
Locality. &. 
No.| Length. ||No.| Length. ||No.| Length. ||No.| Length. |No. Length, Length. Length. 
| 
= a ss | 
NEWFOUNDLAND: 
Snook’s Arm Sta., 1899.-.] 3 | 44’ 8” 2/45) riz" |/ 1 42! 2" RG Ge walla Rocce ||| cote | socccs 
Balena Sta., Tg00-1g01...|18 | 36) 2’ 237° 0 9 | 36’ 11 Ball aerarere ac Api ONT) |g ee etenallrererostote 
All the foregoing New- 
foundland specimens .... . Cae | ay old 4 |41' 6” tO || 37° 6 |) 2/45" tak |) a) 46) Tr |i/e46! (646) mn 
Finmark Sta., (Cocks), 1885 
AN WE8Ou-teyactre ceioem ale 20 3834 || OMlagu2e N2RM iar 2 AN eAsso 2) (581 ore | Oe 53° 0" 
Europe generally (stranded 
or captured on the coasts)..| 7 | 39/5” etsy sie" Pr Oeoym CoV iad [Poy OFS | Soagan 46’ toh" | 44’ 3” 
It will be seen that the averages and maxima for the Norwegian specimens with 
one exception are larger than for the Newfoundland ones. Standing by itself this 
fact might be taken asan indication of specific distinctness. It will be remembered, 
however, that in both Balenoptera physalus and BL. musculus the same relation pre- 
vailed, the Norwegian measurements exceeding the American, (See pp. 113 and 154.) 
That this should happen in all three cases arouses the suspicion that the Nor- 
wegian measurements are taken differently and probably include the projection of 
the lower jaw beyond the upper and the breadth of the flukes. A larger number 
of specimens was included in every case, giving better opportunity for the introduc- 
tion of one or two very large individuals, and thereby increasing the averages. In 
the case of the Humpback, the number of specimens is too small to be satisfactory. 
An Iceland specimen, male, described by Hallas in 1868 (60, 176), was 48 
feet, or 516 in. (Danish) long, from tip of upper jaw to notch of flukes. 
COLOR. 
Van Beneden’s description of the color of the Humpback is as follows (7, 113): 
“The color of the animal is black; under the mandible in front it is entirely white, 
or mottled in the deep layers (dans la profondeur) ; between the ridges it is red- 
dish. The caudal fin is black above, white below, surrounded by a black border ; 
the margins are ordinarily scalloped. The pectoral fins are white on the two sides. 
The posterior part of the bosse (dorsal fin) is pure white.” 
This is far from being a satisfactory description, and is probably compiled 
from various sources, and may include the Greenland Humpback, or Keporkak. 
Cocks gives the color of several Norwegian Humpbacks obtained in 1884 
(16, 10 sep.). His notes, condensed, are as follows: 
In three specimens the whole upper side of the body, both upper and lower 
parts of the head, and underside of body toward the tail, black. Otherwise varied, 
as follows: 
1 The minimums were as follows : 
Females. Males. 
Newfoundland 34’ oO” 32' 0" 
Finmark Zyoh ane 20 7 
Europe generally Gh (e)) 38' 0” 
2 Also I specimen of 47 ft., sex undetermined. 
