THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 301 
“Color bluish black above, with oblong light colored spots; the underside as 
far as the genitalia more or less white. The whole of the tail, with the flukes and 
the flippers on both sides, is exactly similar to the back in color.” 
Whalebone plates, black ; bristles, white. 
Rostrum of the skull elongated and triangular with straight sides, as in B. 
physalus. Orbit very large. Nasals oblong and truncated anteriorly. Coronoid 
process of mandible low. Vertebral formula: C. 7, D. 14 (-13), L. 14 (-15), 
Ca. 20 (-21). Total, 55 (56). 
BAL@NOPTERA ACUTO-ROSTRATA Lacépéde. 
Little Piked whale, or Lesser Finner. Plate 49, fig 1. 
Form heavy, size small. Head narrow and pointed. Abdominal ridges 
numerous and narrow. 
Average total length, 26 feet (7); maximum, 30 feet. 
Pectorals, from axilla, 12.5 per cent. of total length, lanceolate, pointed. Dor- 
sal fin large; its height about 5 per cent. of the total length; situated just in 
advance of the line of the anus. 
Color of the body dark brownish gray above, white below, the two colors 
joining rather abruptly on the flanks; inferior margin of caudal peduncle white. 
Mandible dark gray. Dorsal fin dark like the back. Pectoral fins above with the 
middle third white, and tip and base dark gray; below similar, but with more 
white. Flukes gray above, white below. More or less gray mottling on the white 
abdominal ridges (7). 
Whalebone all yellowish white. 
Rostrum of cranium triangular, pointed, with straight sides. Orbital process 
of frontal large and oblong; orbit very large. Nasals large and triangular, the 
apex directed backward, the anterior free margin transverse or slightly convex. 
Vertebral formula: C. 7, D. 11, L. 12 (18), Ca. 18 (-20). Total, 48 (50). 
