130 NEW-YORK FAUNA. 



THE BEAICED RORQUAL. 



RORaCALUS ROSTRATCS. 



PLATE XXX. FIG. 1. 



Balccna rostrata. Fabricics, Faun. GrtEnland. p. 40. 

 BaUBTioptera acuto-rostrata. LacEPEDE, Get. p. 134, pi. 4. 

 B. roslrata. Scoresby, Arct. Regions. 

 Rorquabis minor. Knox, Nat. Lib. Vol. G, p. 142, pi. 7. 



Characteristics. Bluish black ; greyish wliite beneath, with numerous flesh-colored folds on 

 the throat and belly. Baleen white, divided into 320 plates on each side. 

 Vertebrae 48. Length 16-25 feet. 



Description. Body cylindrical, and gently tapering from the swimming paws to the head 

 and tail ; towards the tail the body becomes much compressed, and forms a ridge which runs 

 a few inches on the tail. Head smaller than the body, long, narrow and pointed ; the outline 

 of the head separated from the dorsal outline by a slight depression. The upper mandible, 

 from the commencement of the baleen, is 42*0 long, and 4'0 shorter than the lower, into 

 which it is received ; furnished with baleen of a whitish color, which has a hoary appearance 

 on its fringed edges. The laminae, as nearly as could be ascertained by repeated countings, 

 amount to three hundred and twenty on eacli side ; they were of various lengths, from two 

 to eleven inclies, gradually increasing from the snout posteriorly. The spiracles two, placed 

 at the extremity of the ridge on the upper jaw, a little forward of a line drawn upwards from 

 the eyes : They are 7 ' long, and gradually approach each other to within • 75 in front ; pos- 

 teriorly they are 3 " apart, and are separated from each other by a deep furrow 9 " long. 

 Lower jaw acute, rather stouter, and 4'0 longer than the upper. Eyes large, but appear 

 small, as they are much covered by the eyelids ; a deep furrow above and beneath, placed 

 above and near the angle of the mouth. The ears not visible, but their situation is determined 

 by a very slight change in the appearance of the skin, which yields rather more than the sur- 

 rounding parts to pressure ; they are about 5'0 behind and a little below the eyes. Tongue 

 large, free and very fat ; beneath it the skin of the throat is very dilatable. Roof of the mouth 

 smooth. No vestige of a tooth could be seen or felt in the lower jaw. Swimming paws 25 '0 

 long, oblong, tapering, and attached vertically to the body about two-thirds of the distance 

 from the dorsal protuberance to the angle of the mouth. (In the figure this is incorrectly given.) 

 Dorsal eminence leathery, elastic, triangular, a foot high, broad at the base, and placed above 

 the vent. Tail horizontal, bilobate, its tips pointed. Chin and throat with numerous furrows 

 0-5 to 1"0 deep, extending some distance over the abdomen, and presenting a waved appear- 

 ance on the chin and throat. 



Color. Bluish black above, pearly white beneath, but this has changed to a faint pink, 

 especially in the furrows, owing, I imagine, to the settling of the blood in those parts. Lips 

 white. Swimming paws while in the middle, black at the base and extremities. Under side 

 of tlic tail whitish. 



