RORQUALS, OR FINNERS. 267 



Bal(Efm physalus, Fabricius Fauna Groenlandica, p. 35 



(1780). 



BalcBiwptera rorqual^ Lacepbde, Cetaces, p. 126 (1804). 



BaI(Ti7ia aniiquorum^ Fischer, Synops. Mamm. p. 525 (1829). 



Balcefioptera musailus^ Company o, Mem. de la Baleine 



echouee pres de St. Cyprien, p. 20 (1830); Bell, British 



Quadrupeds, 2nd ed. p. 397 (1874); Southwell, British 



Seals and Whales, p. 70 (1881); Flower, List Cetacea 



Brit. Mus. p. 5 (1885). 



Balcenoptera physalus^ Gray, Zool. Voy. Erebus and Terror, p. 



18 (1846). 

 Physalus antiquorum^ Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1847, p. 90. 



Characters. — Size smaller than in the preceding species, and 

 the flippers relatively shorter ; general colour slaty-grey above, 

 and white beneath; whale-bone slate-colour, with yellow or 

 brown markings. Length of adult from 65 to 70 feet. 



Distribution. — Occurring in both the Atlantic and Pacific 

 Oceans, this species has a more southerly range than the pre- 

 ceding, and is commonly found in the Mediterranean, where the 

 former species is rare. Specimens are stranded on the British 

 coasts, more especially those of the southern parts of England, 

 almost every year, generally after stormy weather, and very fre- 

 quently during the winter. It will accordingly be quite unneces- 

 sary to quote the instances of its occurrence on our coasts, and 

 we may therefore content ourselves with mentioning a few 

 j specimens that have been recorded of late years. About the 

 lend of October, 1885, two dead Rorquals of this species were 

 Ifound floating in the Channel, and were towed into Plymouth, 

 'where they were exhibited. Another example was stranded at 

 Skegness, in 1887 ; and it is probable that a Whale captured 

 .at Sea View, in the Isle of Wight, on the 21st of September, 

 jin the following year, likewise pertained to this species. Ano. 

 ther specimen, which has been described by Mr. W. Crouch, 



