4 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Balena mysticetus, Linn. The Greenland Right Whale.— 
Averages from 50 to 60 feet in length; has the head very large, and 
about a third of the entire length; the baleen long; 54 vertebre 
and J3 pairs of ribs. The colour a dark grey, with the lower jaw 
and throat white. It is almost invariably found close to the polar 
ice-fields, although it occasionally goes as far south in winter as 
46° N. lat. Its occurrence on various parts of the coast of Great 
Britain has been reported, but not satisfactorily proved. 
Balena biscayensis, Eschricht. The Atlantic Right Whale.— 
Averages from 40 to 50 feet in length, and has a much shorter head 
than the last-named species, not more than a fourth of its entire 
length. The baleen is short; the angle of the mouth depressed 
below the eyes. No description of the skeleton has yet been 
published. The colour uniform black. In all probability most of 
the Right Whales which have come into British waters have been 
of this species, which has a much more southern range than the 
Greenland Whale. 
Family BALZNOPTERID. 
Genus Megaptera, Gray. 
Characterized by the possession of a low dorsal fin, and very 
long flippers (hence the name), the latter about a fourth or even a 
third of the entire length, with undulating edges. The head is 
broad and flat; the tail broad and deeply forked. The skin of the » 
throat and belly pleated. 
Megaptera bodps (Fabricius). Hump-backed Whale. — The 
average length of this species is from 45 to 50 feet. It has 
53 vertebra and 14 pairs of ribs. The head is larger in proportion 
than that of the Rorqual; the tail broad and deeply forked. The 
skin of the throat and belly is disposed in longitudinal pleats or 
folds. The general colour is black above, black and white beneath ; 
the flippers entirely white; the baleen black. It is found between 
62° and 66° N. lat., whence it moves southwards at the approach 
of winter. At least two authenticated instances of its occurrence 
on our shores are on record. One was cast ashore near Newcastle; 
another was taken in the estuary of the Dee. 
Genus Balenoptera, Lacépéde. 
Agrees with the genus Megaptera in having a low dorsal fin, 
and the skin of the under parts pleated; but differs amongst other 
