416 



I\rr. T. Soutliwell— >SV)/Me Results of the 



The only important difference which Dr. True points out is 

 in the coloration of the dorsal fin, which in the Newfoundland 

 specimens " is usually more or less white or whitish, except 

 on the margins, with darker curved lines extending up 

 vertically from its base " ; but he remarks that this fin is 

 not fully described in a fresh condition by any European 

 authority. There seems to be no appreciable difiorence in the 

 colour of the baleen. Dr. True arrives at the conclusion 

 that, notwithstanding its superior dimensions, there is no 

 sufficient reason for separating the European blue whale from 

 the American sulphur-bottom. 



Taking the average length of sexually mature females at 

 72 feet, Dr. True arrives at an average of 74 ft. 8|- in. for 

 that sex in NcAvfoundland ; subject to the same test the 



Nor 



females averaoe 79 fr. 3 in. 



Of 2893 fin-whales killed in Norway, 338, or 11-68 per 

 cent., were of this species; in Newfoundland of 2132, 489, or 

 22-94 i)er cent., were B. ISibhaldii. 



None of tliese whales have hitherto been killed in Shetland. 



Megaptera longimana (Rudolphi). 



Norway. 



The third large species of fin-whale is known to the 

 Biitisii whalemen as the humpback (from its low dorsal fin), 



* In another table Dr. True oives the average of a larger number 

 of these whales from other sources — 57 males equalling 70 ft. 8 in. and 

 ;io females 70 ft. ; but the above are measurements carefully taken by 

 himself. 



