242 African Zoology, 



their characters with those of the Northern Seas. 1 think the pro''' 

 portion tlie head bears to the body will be found to be very different, 

 and even the form of the body itself. If thirteen feet be the size 

 of the calf in the Northern Seas at the period of birth, as stated by 

 Mr. Scoresbey, it will be found to be much inferior to what is observed in 

 the South Seas, for I have myself seen more tlian one extracted from the 

 uterus which had attained the length of nineteen feet. 



Genus Baljenoptera. Lacepede. 



Head Jlatlened horizontally ; lower jaw longer than the upper ;• 

 skin of the throat and breast with strong rvgce or folds', whale- 

 bones short ; a short thick Jin towards hinder part of back, more 

 or less resembling a hunch: form more slender than in ilte true 

 whales. 



Balanoptera rorqual, Lacepede. Colour above black, beneatli' 

 white ; body behind the uape very thick ; head short in pro- 

 portion to the body ; lower jaw rounded, longer and much 

 broader than the upper, its anterior part often slightly 

 scolloped ; whalebones black, and seldom exceed three feet in 

 length ; they are stiffer, harder, and more horny than those of 

 the common whale, and their inner edges and points have a 

 fringe of bristly fibres ; eyes situated above and very close to 

 the angles of the mouth ; the orifices of the spiracles close 

 to the eyes, and placed in au elevated pyramid ; pectoral 

 fins lanceolate and at a considerable distance behind the angles 

 of the mouth but on nearly the same level ; the dorsal fiu 

 which is slightly notched commences opposite the anus and ex- 

 tends nearly to the tail, which is divided into two lobes, each 

 of which is notched behind ; under part of head and belly with 

 longitudinal rugae. Length between seventy and ninety feet. 



Inhabits the seas about the Cape of Good Hope ? — common 

 in the North Seas. 



Balaena musculus, Gmel. Lin. Balsene rorqual, Bennet. 



Ohs. From the descriptions 1 have received of the Fin Fish which 

 often appears in the Bays of both the Western and Eastern Coasts of 

 Africa, I feel disposed to regard it as the Rorqual. It may, however, 

 prove to be a ditl'erent species when those who can note its characters 

 shall have an opportunity of examining a dead specimen. It is here 

 rarely attacked by the Fishers, being considered dangerous, and of little 

 Talue, from its yielding but a small proportion of oil. About twelve 

 years ago one was killed in Table Bay which measured ninety-five feet. 



Balainoptera Capensis, Smith, Head depressed, slightly 

 convex above with a small projection on each side of spiracles ; 

 the apex of upper-jaw acutely rounded ; lower-jaw much longer 



