SEALS AND WHALES OF THE BRLTLSH SEAS. 109 



the intervening stratum of clear water. It was about 16 feet long, with a 

 round bluff head. It continued to swim along before the vessel's head, a few 

 yards beneath the surface, for about ten minutes, maintaining our rate of 

 speed, which was five knots an hour, all which time I enjoyed from the bow- 

 sprit a very good view of it. It could have been no other than the White 

 Whale, the B. borealis of Lesson.' " Mr. Alston also states that Mr. J. G. 

 Gordon informed him that in June, 1878, "he saw a large white cetacean, 

 presumably of this species, in Loch Etive." 



Fig. 22. Beluga, caught by the tail, near Dunrobin, Sutherlandshiie. 



In a communication to the Zoological Society of London,* quoting a 

 letter from the Rev. Dr. Joass, of Golspie, Professor Flower thus describes 

 the singular capture of one of these rare visitants to our seas : — " It was found 

 close to the salmon-nets, near the Little Ferry, about three miles to the 

 westward of Dunrobin, Sutherlandshire, at ebb tide, on Monday, June 9th, 

 1879, caught by the tail between two short posts, to which a stake-net was 

 fastened ; and a salmon, of 18 lbs. weight, which was supposed to have been 



* Proc. Zool. Soc, 1879, pp. 667-9 (by which Society the above woodcut was kindly lent). 



