144 WHALES AND PORPOISES 



especially when it curves over and falls into the sea. It is 

 this "spouting" which reveals the whale to its enemy in the 

 "crow's-nest" of the whaling vessel, and causes him to shout 

 joyously to those on deck, "There she blows!" 



In addition to the foregoing, the most important species 

 of baleen whales are these: 



The Right Whale (Balaena glacialis), of the cool waters 

 around the north pole and the Atlantic Ocean, north and 

 south, attains 70 feet, but usually runs under 50 feet. 



The Pacific Right Whale {Balaena sieboldii) inhabits 

 the North Pacific. 



The Humpback W t hale (Megaptera nodosa), of the At- 

 lantic, off the United States coast, is the species most fre- 

 quently seen from the decks of passenger steamers and 

 occasionally stranded on our coast. Its usual length is from 

 45 to 60 feet. 



The Finback Whale (Balaenoptera physalus), of the 

 North Atlantic coast, attains 60 feet, but yields little oil, 

 and is difficult to kill. 



The California Gray Whale (Rachianectes glaucus), 

 from the arctic seas to Lower California, attains 45 feet. It 

 is fond of shallow water and is savage and dangerous. 



THE SPERM WHALE FAMILY 

 Physeteridae 



It is impossible to give in a few words a clear and ade- 

 quate conception of the various localities inhabited by the 

 great Sperm Whale. 1 It may be said, however, that it is 



1 Phys'e-ter mac-ro-ce ph' a-lus . 



