462 THK ZOOLOGIST. 



Eudolphi's Eorqnal (BalcEnoptera horcalis, Lesson). — Nor- 

 wegian names, Sildehval, Seiehval.* This, I believe, is the 

 species most frequently taken b}' the whalers stationed oflf West 

 Finmarken, /. e., the coast to the west of North Cape. I have 

 not with any certainty seen a living specimen of this sjjecies, 

 and my sole acquaintnnce with it was a hasty glimpse at the 

 skeleton of the example killed in the Eiver Crouch (Essex) in 

 November last, when it was lying in the prosector's room at the 

 Zoological Gardens. A full account of this specimen was pub- 

 lished by Prof. Flower (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1883, p. 513, et seq.). 

 The baleen is black, with white bristles. The dorsal fin had been 

 brought with the skeleton ; it was rather higher and more 

 curved and pointed than the Common Eorqual's. The skin was 

 still on the flippers ; the outer side was black, the under side 

 white ; they were more pointed than the common species. 



Dr. Guldberg ('Vardo Posten,' Aug. 19th, 1883) says:— "We 

 shall next pass on to the so-called Herring Whale (Sildehval), 

 whose natural affinities are rather obscure. I am inclined, from 



information given me, to consider it as identical with 



the so-called Coal-fish Whale (Seiehval), which both in the 

 summer and earlier, is taken in greater or lesser numbers in 

 West Finmarken. The length is about 40 ft. It resembles in 

 several respects the Finner, but is smaller, and makes its 

 appearance on the coast of Finmarken, especially in the summer 

 months. Since it is also observed by Bergen, and on the Dutch 

 coast, there is every probability for the supposition that its range 

 is more southerly than that of the Lesser Eorqual." 



Lesser Eorqual {BaUenoptcra rostrata, Fabr.). — Norwegian 

 name, Vaagehval. In sailing up the Norwegian coast during the 

 summer months, on reaching Vest Fjord one usually sees a few 

 small Finwhales, which are most probably of this species. They 

 are often in company with " Spring-hvale," which I have no 

 doubt are Bottle-nosed Dolphins {Dclphinus ttcrsio, Fabr.), whose 

 gambols are very interesting to watch. Occasionally one sees 

 somewhat larger Finwhales, and these latter may very possibly 

 be Eudolphi's Eorqual, but I cannot speak with any certainty. 



On returning south last autumn, at the end of September and 

 beginning of October, I did not see a single whale all along the 



* Dr. Guldberg, ' Vardo Posten,' Aug. 19tli, 188b. 



