\CEA. 



<T.T \ 



alarmed can ink in fire or six seconds far beyond the reach of a humui 

 enemy . The Mysticete seldom remain* at the surface to breathe longer 

 than two minute*, during which period it blows eight or nine time*. 

 It then descend* for five or ten minutes ; sometimes, when on its feed, 

 for fifteen or twenty minutes. Though Dr. Scoresby states that it 

 has no voice, it makes, he observe*, a loud noise iu blowing. The 

 spout is ejected some yards high, and has the appearance of a puff of 

 smoke at a distance. They blow strongest, densest, and loudest when 

 alarmed, or after a long stay under water. 



A very considerable portion of the feeding-grounds is occupied by 

 what is termed ' green water,' which swarms with minute life, and 

 has been carefully examined and described by Dr. Sooresby. The 

 mllni of the gullet is only fitted for swallowing small animals, 

 such as the Clio boreal it, numerous specimens of which (the ' Whale's 

 Food ' of the Greenland Whalers) will be found in the preparation 

 No. 823 A of the Physiological Series of the Museum of the Royal 

 College of Surgeons in London. This small mollu.ik is said to consti- 

 tute the chief support of the Mysticete, and the structure and dispo- 

 sition of the whalebone-plates explain how these or any other small 

 species of animal are retained in the capacious mouth of their devourer, 

 while the water taken in along with them drains through the inter- 

 stices of the plates. When the Mysticete feeds, it swims rapidly below 

 the surface with open jaws ; a stream of water enters them, and with 

 it myriads of small marine animals ; the water finds an outlet at the 

 sides, but the thick internal hairy apparatus of the whalebone does 

 not permit one of these animals to escape. 



Nine or ten months is supposed to be the period of utero-gestation, 

 and the mother is so attached to her young one, or ' sucker,' aa it is 

 termed, that it is often struck as a snore to the affectionate parent, 

 for she will not leave it, and falls a victim to her maternal love. Dr. 

 Sooresby relates instances of this kind which cannot be perused, much 

 lea* witnessed, without great pain by any person of ordinary humanity. 

 Such a mode of capture seems hardly justifiable, whilst it must be 

 ruinous to future prospects. 



This species is generally found alone or in pairs, excepting when 

 many individuals are attracted to some abundant feeding-ground or 

 to a desired locality, such as the vicinity of icebergs. 



To the Esquimaux and the Oreenlander this species is all in all. 

 They eat the flesh and fat with indescribable relish. The membranes 

 of the abdomen serve them fur clothing, and the thin transparent 

 peritoneum admits light through the windows of their huts whilst it 

 keeps out the weather. The bone> are made into props for their 

 tents, or aid in the formation of their boats, and supply them with 

 harpoons and spears for the capture of the seal and greater sea-birds. 

 The sinews, divided into filaments, are used as thread for sewing their 

 dress, 4c. Some have stated that pickled and boiled blubber is 

 palatable, and that the tail, first parboiled and then fried, is agreeable 

 eating. The flesh of the young whale is said to be by no means 

 indifferent food. To civilised nations, the oil made from its fat or 

 blubber, and the whalebone, have long made it a great commercial 

 object. [FISHERIES, in AIITS AND St. Div.] 



f the natives. The specimen was 60 feet in length. The following 

 cut is reduced from Dr. Oray's plate. 



Greenland Whale (lialana mytlirelui). 



B. margutala, the Western-Australian Whale, has very long and 

 lender baleen, with a rather broad Muck edge on the outer or straight 

 ride. From the character of the baleen Dr. dray considers this a 

 dixtinct species. 



S. auttratii, the Cape Whale. It is the Ilight Whale nf South Sea 

 Whalers, the Southern Whalebone Whale of Num., the Common 

 Black Whale of Sir James Ross. It inhabit* the South Seas, and is 

 of a uniform black colour. 



II. Jajtonifn. th- Japan Whale. It is an inhabitant of the coast* of 

 Japan, which it visits periodically. Its head is covered with barnacles. 

 Only the baleen has been seen in England. The species has been 

 described from Chinese drawings. 



B. antarrtic't, the New Zealand Whale. A species decril>. i l.y 

 Dr. .!. K. <!niy n* B. Anti/iodarum, from a very accurate drawing of a 

 specimen taken in Jackson's Bay, New Zealand. It in the Tuku Peru 



New Zealand Whale (Bat<rna Antipmtanm). Cray. 



B. ffibbota, the Scrag- Whale, is regarded as a species by Dr. .1. I'.. 

 Gray. It is an inhabitant of the Atlantic Ocean. " It is near akin to the 

 Finback, but instead of a fin upon its back, the ridge of the after | ..-u-t 

 of it* back is scragged with half-a-dozen knobs or knuckles." (D< 



The remaining genera of the llalrtnidtr have either fins or humps 

 on thcirJjackn, and are called Finners and Hump-Backs. 



The genus Meyaptera includes the Hump-Backed Whales. They are 

 easily known from the Finuers in being shorter and more robu 

 skull nearly one-fourth the entire length, the head wider between the 

 eyes, the mouth larger, the lip warty, and the nose large and rounded ; 

 the plaits of the belly and throat are broad. The skull is intermediate 

 between that of Balitna and BaUmoptera. 



M. lonyiinana, Johnston's Hump-Backed Whale. It was described 

 by Dr. Johnston from a specimen cast ashore at Newcastle. It is an 

 inhabitant of the North Sea, and has-been taken at the mouth <!' il,.- 

 Maaa. It is the Balama longimana of Rudolphi, and the Italtrrui 

 Boopt, or Keporkak, of Eschricht, who says it is the most common 

 whale in the Oreenland seas. 



M. Americana, the Bermuda Hump-Back, is of a black colour, with 

 a white belly, and has its head covered with tubercles. It is the 

 Bal<rna nodoia of Bonnaterre. It is found at Bermuda from ' 

 to the end of May, when it departs. The baleen of this whale is 

 extensively imported from Bermuda. 



M. Poakop, the Poeskop, or Cape Hump-Back. It is the Rorqual 

 du Cap of Cuvier, the B. Lalaiulii of Fischer, and B. Capentit of 

 Andrew Smith; the Hump-Backed Whale of Ross's ' Antarctic Voyage.' 

 It in an inhabitant of the seas of the Cape of Good Hope. 



M. Kuzira, the Kuzira. It iahabits the Japanese seas. 



Balamoptera roitrata, the Pike- Whale. It is the Bahena rmtrala, 

 Muller ; Rorqualiu rottratut, Dekay ; Bahenoptera, microcephala, 

 Brandt ; Run/ualia Boopt, F. Cuvier. It is of a black colour, under- 

 neath of a reddish white. It inhabits the North Sea, and has been 

 found, in New York Bay, at Valognee in France, and a specimen was 

 taken in the Thames at Deptford. 



Pkysaliu Antiquorum, the Razor-Back. It is the Balirna A ntit/uorm 

 of Fischer, and probably the Great Northern Rorqual of Knox and 

 Jardiue ; the Rorqual de la Meditermne'e of Cuvier. It is of a slate- 

 gray colour, whitish beneath. The baleen is slate-coloured, the under 

 edge blackish, the inner edge pale-streaked. It in an inhabitant of 

 the North Sea, and is sometimes found on the coasts of Great Britain. 

 There is a skeleton at Black Gang Chine in the Isle of Wight 75 feet 

 long. It was taken in 1842. A specimen was taken at Berwick in 

 1831. There is a skeleton of one also at Plymouth 74 J feetlong. This 

 animal was found floating in Plymouth Sound on the 2nd of October 

 1831. It is stated to have been 102 feet long and 75 feet in ciivmn- 

 ference. This specimen was taken round the country in three cara- 

 vans. Dr. J. E. Gray refers the skeleton of the whale n.iw in the 

 Edinburgh Botanic Gardens to this species. It was 80 feet long, and 

 was taken off North Berwick in 1833. 



P. (Rorqualut) Boopt of Gray has been taken off the coast of Wales. 

 The length of the specimen in the British Museum is 38 feet ; the 

 head is 9 feet long, the vertebra: are CO iu manlier, and there are 

 15 pairs of single ribs. It was taken in 1846, and was mentioned 

 iu the papers of the day as a Spermaceti Whale. 



P. (ttorquaitu) Stbbatdii. A specimen of this species exists in the 

 museum at Hull. It is 50 feet long. 



P. fatciatut, the Peruvian Finner, described by Tsohudi, has been 

 found on the coasts of Peru. 



/'. lirati, the Japan Finner. It is very rare ; one was cast ashore 

 at Kii in 17(30. It was 25 feet long. 



P. anlarctieui, named from the baleen of a New Zealand species by 

 Dr. J. E. Gray. 



/'. Unuilieiuii, the Bahia Finner. Named from Inleen ; brought 

 from Bahia. 



/'. niutralit, Southern Finner, inhabits the seas of the Falkland 

 Islands. 



The family of CATODOMID.C includes the Toothed Whales. The 

 genera are as follows : 



Calodon. Dorsal hump rounded. Blowers on front of truncated 

 head. Skull elongate. 



Koyia. Dorsal hump. Blov- -Lull churl,, broad. 



Pkiinettr. Dorsal fin falcate. Blower on back of forehead. Skull 

 elongate. 



