Right Whale 



top of the head, and forms the well-known "spout" of the 

 whale. This is quite a mistake, however, as the spout is simply 

 the discharge of air from the lungs when the animal rises to the 



Longitudinal section through head of whale, showing position of 

 whalebone and nasal opening. (After Lydekker) 



surface to take a new breath, and the watery appearance of the 

 spout is due to the condensation of moisture in the discharged 

 breath and also to the fact that some water is thrown up if 



Skeleton of whale (Balaena), showing contour of body, (After Lydekker .) 



the breath is expelled before the whale quite reaches the surface. 

 We have three quite different types of whalebone whales on 

 our coast, and from one to three species of each. 



Right Whale 



Balaena glacialis Bonnaterre 



Length. 50 to 60 feet. 



Description. Head enormous, equal to one-third of the total 



length; highly arched above the level of the back; mouth 



cavity consequently large and whalebone very long. Bones 



13 



