50 MARINE MAMMALS OF THE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. 
in it, five and a half feet long, which dispelled all doubts in regard to its matu- 
rity. The principal distinguishing features of this whale are, its dwarfish size ; its 
pointed head, which in form resembles a beak ; its low, falcated dorsal fin, which 
is placed about two -thirds of the length of the animal from the anterior extremity 
of its lower jaw, which is the longest ; and its inordinately small, pointed pectorals, 
which are marked with a white band above and near their bases, and are placed 
about one -third of the animal's length from its anterior extremity. The bone, or 
baleen, in its natural state is of a pure white, with a short, thin fringe of the same 
color. The number of lamina? on each side of the mouth was two hundred and 
seventy, and the longest of these measured ten inches. The surface of the animal 
was a dull black above, white below. The under side of both pectoral and caudal 
fins was white also. Seventy longitudinal folds extended along the throat and the 
lower portion of the body, between and a little behind the fins ; and, while the 
outer surface of the folds was of a milky whiteness, the creases between them were 
of a pinkish cast, imparting the same shade to the throat as far back as the pecto- 
rals. The following table gives the proportions of this specimen : 
Ft. In. 
Length of animal 27 
Length of pectorals 4 
Breadth of pectorals 1 1 
End of snout to spiracles 3 8 
End of snout to pectorals 8 6 
End of snout to corner of mouth 4 8 
Dorsal to fork of caudal fin 9 
Dorsal junction along the back 2 4 
Dorsal's height 10 
Caudal fin from point to point 7 6 
Breadth of lobes of caudal fin 2 1 
Fork of caudal fin to anus 8 4 
Fork of caudal fiu to genital slit 9 G 
Depth of animal at pectorals 5 4 
The foregoing measurements were hurriedly taken while the whale was being 
cut up, which was quickly accomplished ; for as fast as the Italians stripped off the 
blubber, the Indians came from a village near, and slashed away at the half- putrid 
flesh, which they packed off to their camps, declaring loudly that the meat was 
excellent food. The coating of yellowish fat that incased the body avei'aged three 
inches in thickness, and the yield of oil was about three hundred gallons. 
The habits of this whale are in many respects like those of the Finback. It 
