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Genus BALZENOPTERA, Lace'pede, 1804. 

 Syn. Physalus, Cuvieritts, Sibbaldius, &c., Gray. 



Form slender ; head flat, pointed, measuring \ to i o the total 

 length. Skin of the throat with deep longitudinal furrows. A 

 small falcate dorsal fin, placed far back about two thirds of the 

 distance from head to tail. Pectoral limbs or flippers small, 

 narrow and pointed, \ to ^ of total length, tetradactylous. 

 Baleen short and coarse. Cervical vertebrae free. 



The members of this genus, known to whalers as Tinners, 

 Fin-wbales, Pin-backs, Eazor-backs, or Eorquals, are found in all 

 seas. Formerly, when Eight- whales (Balcenci) were more common, 

 other whales, and especially Finners and Humpbacks, were not 

 attacked by whalers, as these whales, owing to their greater speed, 

 are more difficult to kill, and they yield far less oil and whalebone. 

 Of late years, however, Finners have been pursued by means of 

 steam-vessels and attacked with improved forms of harpoon-guns, 

 and large numbers have been captured. 



Four species of the genus Balcmoptera have long been known 

 to whalers in the northern seas, but have only recently been clearly 

 identified by naturalists, chiefly through the work of Profs. Flower 

 and Van Beneden. It has been ascertained that all, unlike the 

 Greenland whale (Bdlcena mysticetus), are migratory, and visit the 

 seas of Norway, Iceland, and even of Greenland in summer, 

 returning to warmer seas in winter. It has been satisfactorily 

 shown that some of the Fin-whales of the southern hemisphere 

 (New Zealand, &c.) are identical with those of northern seas ; and 

 in his last work (' Hist. Nat. des Ce'taces des Mers d'Europe ') 

 Prof. Van Beneden has identified all species of Balcenoptera hitherto 

 described, including those of the Indian seas, with these four species. 

 To facilitate the comparison of Indian whales, the following leading 

 characters of the four are given, chiefly from Mr. R. Collett's 

 descriptions (P. Z. S. 1886, p. 264) : 



1. Balanoptera rostrata. Length 25 to 30 feet, seldom exceeding 33 

 feet. Height of body to total length 1 : 5. Greyish black above, white 

 below, including lower side of tail ; a broad band of white across outer 

 side of each flipper, inner side all white. Flippers 4 total length, iaws *$. 

 Vertebra about 48, ribs 11 pairs. 



2. B. borealis. Length 40 to 48 feet, rarely as much as 52. Height 

 to total length 1 : 5. Bluish black above, with oblong white spots 



Fig. 183. Balainoptera borealis (from P. Z. S. 1886, pi. xxv). 



more or less>hite below ; tail and flippers black on both sides. Flippers 

 very small, ,'. total length, jaws -f, Vertebra 55 to 56, ribs 13 pairs 



