278 AN EAST COAST NATURALIST 



centre of the vertical depth of the body at a 

 point immediately below the posterior border of 

 the dorsal fin, it continued horizontally as far as 

 midway between the posterior border of the dorsal 

 fin and the insertion of the caudal appendage, when 

 it suddenly turned upon itself, slanting downwards 

 to within one-third of the distance from the first 

 deflection, and resumed the horizontal line until 

 brought to a point by the curvature of the body, 

 where ]it merged into the uniform black colour of 

 the extremity. The under surface of the caudal 

 fin was also of the same yellowish white, which 

 extended a short distance along the inferior caudal 

 ridge, gradually, but still sharply defined, giving 

 place to the black colour of the under surface of 

 the tapering extremity." 



A detailed table of minute measurements followed. 



On 3rd December 1900 a fine female Lesser 

 Rorqual was cast ashore, dead, on Caister beach. 

 It was discovered tumbling about in the surf, and a 

 man waded into the water, and, having cut a hole in 

 the jaw, secured it by a rope, and in this way, with 

 help, hauled it farther northwards and secured it on 

 the shore. There was some talk about a steam drifter 

 having struck a whale out at sea ; but no marks that 



