128 



The food of this species consists of those small animals which infest 

 in such vast assemblages the Northern Ocean, and among these the 

 Mallotus 1 arcticus, Ammodytes 3 tobianus, and Limacina 3 arctica, are 

 especially pointed out by Eschricht. 



The Keporkak has the power, during ordinary or tempestuous weather, 

 of turning a complete somersault in the air, a feat which it is said no 

 other cetacean is able to perform. 



MEOAPTEEA LALAKDII, Fischer. The Cape Humpback. 



Synonyms Horqual du cap, Cuvier. 



Rorqualus antarcticus, E. Cuvier. 



Bal&na Lalandii, Eischer. 



Poescopia Lalandii, Gray, S. & "W., p. 126, Suppl., p. 51. 



Megaptera Novce Zelandice, Gray, S. & W., p. 128, Suppl. p. 50. 



Megaptera Tcuzira, Gray, S. & W., p. 130, Suppl., p. 50. 



Baleen, colour bluish ; laininse, 300 on each side ; length near the 

 angle of the mouth, 1 foot. 



The Cape humpback differs from the northern animal in the following 

 particulars : the head is more depressed ; the temporal bone broader ; 

 the tip of the lower jaw more acutely rounded ; the cervical vertebrae 

 more squarely moulded, with two or three of the anterior segments 

 partially anchylosed ; the pectoral fins longer ; and the mandible, in 

 proportion to the upper jaw, much longer and broader. 



In other respects the two greatly resemble each other. 



But another distinguishing feature might possibly be detected, when 

 an opportunity occurs, in the form of the ear-bone, at present unknown, 

 Avhich may prove to be "shorter and more swollen" than that of the 

 Keporkak, and, in fact, similar to the one possessed by the New 

 Zealand species, of which it is the only known portion of the skeleton, 

 (described and figured by Dr. Gray) . On this account, and it appears 

 a reasonable one, I place the New Zealand Humpback among the 

 present synonyms. 



Mr. A. Smith, who had an excellent view of an animal captured at 

 the Cape, represents its external appearance thus : " Back and sides 

 black ; belly, dull white, with some irregular black spots ; pectoral fins 

 narrow, anterior and posterior edges irregularly notched, upper surface 

 black, under surface pure white. Length from tip of lower jaw to 

 hinder margin of tail-fin, 34| feet." 



1 fj.a\\<i)Tos, woolly, downy so named from the fine teeth ; a genus of the Salrnom'dae, 

 of which only one species, the arcticus, is known. This is a small fish, 6 to 7 inches 

 long, with fine teeth, densely set as the pile in velvet ; it is used largely as bait in 

 the cod-fisheries. 



2 &wos, sand, and SVTTIS, burrowing into. A genus of sand-eels, of -which the 

 tobianus is the lesser sand-eel, or launce. It is assumed that it v as with the gall of 

 this fish that Tobias anointed his father's eyos ; hence the specific name. 



3 Limacina, a minute, marine, left-handed shell, of which only two species are 

 known ; both in their habits are gregarious and antipodean, and furnished with two 

 comparatively large fins attached to the mouth. 



