RUDOLPHFS RORQUAL. 235 



genus, using the name Rudolphius which in a subgeneric sense he had given it in 1866. Sub- 

 sequent investigation fails to uphold Gray's views on the distinction of cetacean genera, and 

 it is now universally accepted as a species of the genus Balaenoptera. 



Since the description by Rudolphi of a skeleton in the Berlin Museum formed the basis of 

 Lesson's name borealis, (though he refers only to Cuvier's figure and description in the Ossemens 

 Fossiles, taken from Rudolphi's account), this specimen becomes the type. It was found 

 cast ashore on the German coast of the North Sea at GrSmitz in the province of Holstein, 

 in 1819. 



Vernacular Names. 



In recognition of his having first made this whale known to science, it is called Rudolphi's 

 Whale or Rudolphi's Rorqual, but this is a book name, as also the name Lesser Rorqual or 

 Lesser Fin Whale, in reference to its smaller size in comparison with the Common Finback 

 which it somewhat resembles. On the Norwegian coast it goes by the name of Sejhval (or 

 Seihval) among the fishermen, that is, Pollack Whale, or Coal-fish Whale since it appears in 

 those waters at about the same time as the Pollack or 'Coal-fish' though it is not known to 

 eat that fish. Though the term Pollack Whale is sometimes used as the English equivalent 

 of the Norwegian word, it has been anglicized into ' Sei Whale ' among whalemen of the New- 

 foundland coasts, and by the Germans has become Seiwal. The French speak of it as the 

 "Rorqual du Nord." The term Black Whale is sometimes applied to this species but belongs 

 more properly to the North Atlantic Right Whale. 



Illustrations. 



Excellent figures of the exterior of this whale are given by Collett in his monograph of 1886 

 (Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1886, plates 25, 26). Two of these figures 

 show variations in the amount of white on the belly, which is more restricted than in the Fin- 

 back Whale. More recently, Andrews (1916) has published an extensive monograph summa- 

 rizing and amplifying our knowledge of this whale. His excellent photographs, as well as a 

 general figure to scale by Mr. J. H. Blake (Plate 40), very thoroughly illustrate the species. 



Description. 



Form. The body is less slender than in the Common Finback. The pectoral limbs are 

 said to be relatively smaller than in the other species, and the dorsal fin large and falcate, 

 is situated anterior to the commencement of the last third of the length. 



Plicae. Collett gives the number as from 30 to 44 with some 8 to 10 shorter folds at the 

 sides, a total of "38 to 58," and so considerably fewer than in the Common Finback. 



Color. The dorsal surfaces are described as bluish black or occasionally somewhat brown; 





