WI1A1.KBONT. WHALES. 1J3 



and give ample opportunity for study. The following attempt at a ' field key ' is based mainly on 

 my own notes and may serve in general to identify the large species of the North Atlantic, though 

 unless one has a slight acquaintance with the appearance of living whales, it may, on account 

 of the relative nature of some of the criteria, be somewhat difficult to apply. It should be 

 added that the only other large cetacean of the North Atlantic not a whalebone whale, is the 

 Sperm Whale, a toothed species. It may be easily recognized by its spout, which is rather low, 

 and directed obliquely forward. In diving, this whale throws its flukes out of the water, and goes 

 down almost perpendicularly. 



Field Key to Whalebone Whales of New England. 



1. Flukes of the tail thrown out of water in making the deeper dives. 



A. No fin at the lower part of back North Atlantic Right Whale (Kubalama glacialis.) 



B. A small fin at the lower part of the back. 



a. Spout low and rather globular in form Humpback Whale (Mcgaptcra nodosa). 



b. Spout high and columnar Blue W T hale (Balacnoptera mmcul'us). 



2. Flukes not shown above water in diving; a prominent fin on the lower part of the back. 



A. Size large, spout high and columnar Common Finback (Balacnoptera physalw). 



Pollack Whale (Balacnoptera borcalis}. 1 



B. Size small, spout low, often hardly if at all visible; a white band on pectoral visible if close at hand. 



Little Piked Whale (Balaenoptera acuto-rostrata) . 



1 1 am unaware of any way of distinguishing this species at sea from the Common Finback. 



