220 THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 



by a broad black border, and separated in the median line by a broad black band 

 reaching forward from the notch to the caudal peduncle. 



It is evident, from a comparison of these several descriptions, that there is no im- 

 portant difference in coloration between the American and the European specimens. 

 The principal one to be noticed is contained in Sars's statement that the flukes 

 of the Finmark whale were black below, as well as above, with rings of white 

 along the posterior margins. Cocks also describes one Finmark specimen as having 

 the flukes black below. As he describes another having a part of the under side 

 of the flukes white, and as the Tay whale (Scotland) had the flukes white below, 

 it is not likely that this point is of importance. 



The color of the Greenland Humpback, or Keporkak, was described by Esch- 

 richt (37, 71, 146, and 198) from the data given by Fabricius, Holboll, and Motz- 

 feldt. His statement is as follows : 



" In the Fauna Groenlandica, Fabricius says of the Keporkak : ' Color of all 

 the upper parts, black ; of the throat, pectorals and under side of the flukes, white ; 

 bases of the abdominal folds blood-red, but the ridges between them, and even the 

 whole abdomen and the flukes below, variegated black and white.' Somewhat briefer 

 and clearer is his account in the Danish publication (Stubhval, p. 10) : ' The color 

 is black on the whole upper half ; on the lower, white with black flecks, as if varie- 

 gated ; but the chin and the pectorals entirely white, and the bottom of the furrows 

 blood-red.' Still more definitely speaks Motzfeldt. ' The pectorals of the Keporkak 

 are entirely white ; the flukes white on the under surface, with a black border ; 

 both occupied by barnacles.' " 



From these descriptions it would appear that the Keporkak does not differ in 

 coloration from the Humpback of Newfoundland and Europe. The pectorals are 

 said to be entirely white, whereas in the Newfoundland and European specimens 

 there was always more or less black at the root. In the whiter specimens, how- 

 ever, this would be overlooked in a general survey, and the pectorals would be 

 cited as entirely white. 1 



In 1868, Hallas described a male Humpback 43 ft. long, found dead and float- 

 ing on the sea, between Ingolfshofde and Portland, on the south coast of Ice- 

 land (60, 172). His description, which is brief and concise, may be presented in 

 translation here : 



" The color of the head and back was everywhere shining black, as also the sides 

 of the body. On the part of the belly between the penis and flukes, where the skin 

 is smooth, the color was also black, with some irregularly-placed white spots. The 

 ridges on the throat, breast, and belly were black, but the color dull, and snow- 

 white spots were found scattered irregularly here and there over the whole surface. 

 The ridges in the median line of the belly approached within 15 inches [Danish] 

 of the penis and decreased in length on the sides ; they divided many times. The 

 breadth of the ridges was 2-2 inches [Danish], the depth of the furrows between 

 was 1-H inches [Danish] ; their color light gray. 



"The pectoral fins in the upper third of their outer surface were shining black, 

 in the middle third also shining black, but with irregularly placed snow-white spots, 

 and in the lowest [distal] third entirely white. On the inner surface the upper 



1 See SARS (So, 15). 



