284 THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 



above given indicates that B. velifera does not differ at all from B. physalus, or in 

 other words is identical with that species, except perhaps in the greater length of 

 the pectorals. Even this difference is of doubtful validity as the remainder of the 

 skeleton appears to coincide with B. pkysalus. 



Much more material from the West Coast must be examined before the ques- 

 tion can be settled. 



Speaking of Scammon's work, Van Beneden remarks in 1889 : "The Balcenop- 

 tera musculus [= B. physalus (L.)] bears the name therein of Balcenoptera 

 velifera" (7, 155). He had probably never seen any specimens, however, and his 

 opinion is no doubt based on the descriptions of Cope, Dall, and Scammon. 



BALCENOPTERA SULFUREUS (Cope). 



This species was described by Cope in 1869 from data furnished by Scammon 

 (see p. 90). His brief account was as follows : 



" Sibbaldius sulfureus Cope. 



" The Sulphur-Bottom of the North West Coast. 



"This immense whale is as yet too insufficiently known to be distinguished as 

 fully as desirable, but the marked peculiarity of coloration separates it from the 

 only species with which a comparison is necessary the 8. lorealis or gigas of the 

 North Atlantic. Capt. Scarnmou describes it to be a gray or brown above, paler 

 than on the Balcenoptera velifera, and beneath, a sulphur yellow. Length from 

 seventy to ninety feet. The colors of the 8. borealis are described as polished 

 black above, milky white beneath, by Dubar " (83, 20). 



The characters given by Cope were undoubtedly drawn from the account 

 given by Scammon in the latter part of the same article (83, 51). In this account 

 the following points were mentioned regarding the species : 



It is the largest whale on the coast of California. 



Length approximately 70 to 90 feet. 



Body more slender than in the California Gray whale. 



Pectorals and flukes of the same proportions as in "the Finback" and the 

 Gray whale. 



Color on the back and sides somewhat lighter than in " the Finback," beneath 

 of a yellowish cast, or sulphur color. 



Dorsal fin much smaller than in " the Finback," and a little nearer the flukes. 



Head, throat, and whalebone in shape like those of " the Finback." 



Occurs at all seasons on the coast of California. 



A specimen captured off St. Bartolrae Bay in 1857 by the bark Lagrange, 

 was 85 feet in length and yielded about 90 barrels of oil. 



In 1870, in his article on Megapiera bellicosa, Prof. Cope added a description 

 of the whalebone of the species, four laminae of which had been sent to the Smith- 

 sonian Institution by Capt. Scammon. He summarizes the characters of the species 

 as follows (29, 108) : 



