Mdmmalia. 241 



thirds of an inch apart. The interior edges are covered with 

 a fringe of hair, and the exterior edge of every blade, excepting 

 a ie\y at each extremity of the series, is curved and flattened 

 down, so as to present a smooth surface to the lips. The 

 colour of the whalebone is brownish black or bluish black ; in 

 some it is strij)ed longitudinally with white. The eyes about 

 a foot obliquely above and behind the angles of the mouth, 

 small in proportion to the size of the animal. A slight beard, 

 consisting of a few short scattered white hairs, ou the anterior 

 extremity of both jaws. Spiracles or blow holes, about 16 feet 

 behind the anterior extremity of the jaw^ each 6 or 8 inches 

 ■long. Pectoral fins placed between two-thirds and two-fifths 

 of the length of the animal from the snout, and about 2 feet 

 behind the angle of the mouth : they are from 7 to 9 feet in 

 length, and from 4 to 5 in breadth ; the part by which they 

 are attached to the body is somewhat elliptical, and about 2 

 feet in diameter ; the side which strikes the water is nearly flat; 

 tail flat and circular, indented in the middle, the two lobes 

 somewhat pointed and turned a little backward, its length 5 or 

 6 feet, its width 18 to 24 or 26 feet. The colour is velvety 

 black, grey, (composed of dots of blackish brown on a white 

 ground,) and while wilh a tinge of yellow ; the back, most of- 

 the upper jaw, and part of the lower jaw, together with the 

 fins and tail, are black ; the tongue, the fore-part of the under- 

 jaw, and lips, sometimes a little of the upper-jaw at the ex- 

 tremity, and a portion of the belly, white ; the eyelids, the 

 junction of the tail with the body, a portion in the axilla of the 

 fins, &c. are grey: some have been seen all over piebald.* 

 The older animals contain the most grey and white ; under-size 

 whales are altogether of a bluish black, and snckeis of a pale 

 bluish or bluish-grey colour. The skin of the body is slightly 

 furrowed, on the tail it is smooth. It is supposed to attain its 

 full growth about the age of twenty- five years, and the period 

 of gestation is calculated to be between nine and ten mouths. 

 The total length of the animal may be stated as averaging from 

 50 to 65 feet, and its greatest circumference from 30 to 40 feet ; 

 weight of a whale of 60 feet, about 70 tons. 



Inhabits principally the Northern and Southern Seas. 



Ohs. From comparisons of the Skeleton procured at the Cape (by De 

 Lalande) with others from the Arctic Regions, it has been considered 

 by some Naturalists that the true Wliale of the South Seas is a diflerent 

 species from that of the North Seas. Having no doubt as ti) the propriety 

 of the conclusion, I have furnished a detailed account of that of the 

 latter from Scoresby's excellent work, in order to enal)le persons pos- 

 sessing opportunities of observing those of the South Seas, to cum pM re 



• Scoresby's Account of Ihc Arctic KegiuUK, vol. i. p. 452, 



II h 



