MAMMALIA CETACEA. 4? 



(2. BAL,ENOPTERA, Lactp.) 



74. B. Physalus, Linn. (Fin-Fish.) Pectoral skin 

 without longitudinal folds. 



Balsenoptera Gibbar, Scoresb. Arct. Reg. vol. i. p. 478. Physalis 

 vulgaris, Flem. Brit. An. p. 32. Fin-Fish, Penn. Brit. Zool. 

 vol. in. p. 57. Fin-backed Mysticete, Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. n. 

 p. 490. pi. 227. 



DIMENS. Entire length about one hundred feet: greatest circum- 

 ference from thirty to thirty -five feet. 



DESCRIPT. The longest of the Cetaceous tribe. Body more slender, 

 and less cylindrical than that of the B. Mysticetus ; considerably com- 

 pressed at the sides, and angular on the back : head smaller than in 

 that species; the snout more pointed, with the jaws nearly equal; the 

 whalebone shorter, the longest lamina measuring about four feet : a small 

 horny protuberance, or dorsal fin, near the extremity of the back : pec- 

 torals long and narrow. Colour pale bluish black, or dark bluish gray. 

 Apparently of equal rarity in the British seas with . the species last 

 described. It is included by Pennant in his British Zoology, but it is 

 not said on what authority. 



75. B. Boops, Linn. (Sharp-lipped Whale.) Pec- 

 toral skin with longitudinal folds admitting of dilatation : 

 jaws pointed. 



Balsenoptera Jubartes, Scoresb. Arct. Reg. vol. i. p. 484. B. Boops, 

 Flem. Brit. An. p. 31. Pike-headed Mysticete, Shaw, Gen. Zool. 

 vol. ii. p. 492. pi. 227. Fin-Whale, Neitt in Wern. Mem. vol. i. p. 201. 



DIMENS. Entire length about forty-six feet: greatest circumference 

 about twenty feet. 



DESCRIPT. Body very thick, and somewhat elevated, immediately 

 over the pectoral fins; gradually tapering from that point towards the 

 tail: head moderately large, becoming narrower towards the extremity 

 of the snout, which terminates however in a somewhat broadish tip : 

 lower jaw one-third of the entire length: palate with about three hun- 

 dred laminae of whalebone on each side, the longest measuring about 

 eighteen inches in length : dorsal protuberance or fin placed far down 

 the back ; two feet and a half high : pectorals four or five feet long, 

 scarcely a foot broad. Colour black above, whitish on the belly, inclining 

 to red between the pectoral folds. 



Represented as being of not unfrequent occurrence in the Scotch seas ; 

 and occasionally stranded on different parts of the English coast. There 

 is some doubt whether the whale described and figured by Dr Johnston 

 in the Trans, of Newcastle Nat. Hist. Soc. (vol. i. p. 6.) be referable to 

 this species or not, as it possessed pectorals nine feet in length, being 

 one-fourth of the length of the body. It was thrown on shore about two 

 miles north of Berwick, in Sept. 1829. 



76. B. Musculus, Linn. (Round-lipped Whale.) 

 Pectoral skin with longitudinal folds : margin of the under 

 lip semicircular. 



Balsenoptera Rorqual, Scoresb. Arct. Reg. vol. i. p. 482. B. Mus- 

 culus, Flem. Brit. An. p. 30. Round-lipped Whale, Penn. Brit. 

 Zool. vol. in. p. 58. 



