The White Whale. 



The orifice of tlie ear is almost imperceptible. 



The size to which the Beluga attains has been much exaggerated. 

 Lacepede gives it a length of from twenty feet to twenty-three feet, but ifc 

 probably rarely or never exceeds sixteen feet. The longest skeleton I know 

 of — that in the British Museum — measures only fifteen feet. Professor Flower 

 kindly j^ointed out to me some time ago, in the Museum of the Royal College 

 of Surgeons, the condition of the epiphyses of the bones in a Beluga's skeleton 

 twelve feet six inches long, which showed that ossification was neai'ly com- 

 plete, and therefore that the animal had all but reached its full growth. This 

 first whale which lived in the Westmiuster Aquarium was about three-fourtha 

 grown. After its death I was able to take with precision a complete set of 

 measurements, which were as follows : — 



Ft. In. 

 Length from anterior edgo of upper lip to notch m middle of caudal fin 



(following curve) 

 Total length in straight line 

 Length to notch iu caudal fin 



Anterior edge of upper lip to blow-holo (following curve) 

 Anterior edge of upper lip to crown of rise of rudimentary dorsal fin 



(following curve) 

 Greatest girth behind pectoral fins 

 Angle of mouth to anterior angle of aperture of eye 

 Anglo of mouth to orifice of eye 

 Length of aperture of eye 

 Diameter of semi-circular blow-holo 



Angle of mouth to centre of upper lip (following curve) .. 

 Angle of mouth to snout, in straight lino ... 

 Angle of mouth to junction of pectoral fins with body ... 

 Length of pectoral fins 

 Breadth of pectoral fins 

 Breadth of caudal fin 

 Vent to notch of caudal fin . . . 



The owners of the whale, liberally presented, without chai'ge or emolument, 

 to Prof. Flower, for the Mufeeura of which he is the distinguished chief and con- 

 Bcrvator, all the internal organs, and by their gift some interesting preparations 

 were added to the collection of the Royal College of Surgeons. The skeleton was 

 prepared by Mr. Gerrard, the well-known articulator to the British Museum, 

 and on the following day I had the pleasure of assisting Mr. Buckland and 

 Mr. Searle to cast the whale from the mould taken of it on the evening of 

 its death. Our work was, as usual, rather laborious ; but by " pegging 

 away," as Abe Lincoln used to say, we accomplished our task in less than 

 four hours ; and if limbs were weai-y hearts were cheery, as jest and chaff 

 flew about, and friends looked in upon us whose presence reminded us of 

 former similar exploits with plaster of Paris ; in which tubs, and pans, and 

 bowls, and dishes, and pails, and mallets, and chisels, and white-bespattered 

 whiskers, and queer costumes, and foaming tankards, had also been familiar 

 accessories. 



Amongst my most pleasant reminiscences of delightful recreations amidst 

 the earnest work of an active and busy life, will always be those of my 

 association with my genial and valued friend Frank Buckland in his casting 

 and dissection of fishes and other animals. His collection of casta is already 

 most valuable. The distinctive characters of each specimen are preserved 

 with an absolute accuracy which no artist can represent in a drawing, and 

 they will remain for reference and comparison as long as the plaster shall 



