I'^^CSJ OF THE GREENLAND SEAS. 539 



it in his description, I presume that it is placed there through an 

 error of the draughtsman or Hthographer. 



The size of the Greenland Whale has, I think, been a little under- 

 rated. 'J'he late Dr. Scoresby, from abundant data, considered that 

 we have no record of the Whale to be relied upon which gives a 

 greater length than 60 feet. While agreeing with him so far, that I 

 believe that to be the general extreme average, I am very doubtful 

 whether they did not at one time, before they were so ruthlessly slaugh- 

 tered, attain a greater size, or that individuals are not even now 

 found of a greater size. The position in which a Whale is measured 

 alongside the ship when slightly doubled is apt to introduce an error 

 into the measurement and make it smaller than it really is. The late 

 Chevalier Charles Louis Giesecke mentions one which was killed at 

 Godhavn in Greenland in 1813 which measured 65 feet, and I shall 

 presently give the measurements of one equally large. The largest 

 one, however, which is known to have been killed in the Arctic seas 

 was one which Capt. Alexander Deuchars (whom I have already had 

 occasion to mention as a most trustworthy and experienced whaler, 

 and who is personally acquainted with the killing of upwards of 500 

 Whales) obtained in Davis Strait in the year 1849. It measured 

 80 feet in length, the breadth of the tail, from tip to tip, being 

 29 feet; the longest lamina of whalebone measured 14 feet; the 

 amount of whalebone in its mouth was large ; but the blubber was 

 only about 6 inches in thickness, and only yielded 27 tuns of oil *. 

 The Whales killed in the Spitzbergen sea are said, as a rule, to be 

 generally less and " lighter-boned " {i. e. less whalebone) than those 

 of Davis Strait, which may possibly account for the less size of those 

 seen by Scoresby, whose whaling-experience was almost wholly con- 

 fined to the former region. The females are larger and fatter than 

 the males. I append the measurements of one of the largest Whales 

 recently killed in Davis Strait, for which we are indebted to Dr. 

 Robert Goodsir. 



Measurements of a specimen of Balaena mysticetus killed in Pond's 

 Bay, Davis Strait ( $ ), 



Length from the fork of the tail, along the abdomen, to tip ft- '"• 



of lower jaw.. .. , 65 q 



Girth behind swimming-paws 30 () 



Breadth of tail, from tip to tip 24 



Greatest breadth between lower jaws 10 



Length of head, measured in a hue from articulation of 



lower jaw 21 



Length of vulva 1 2 



From posterior end of vulva to anus 6 



From anterior end of vulva to umbilicus 8 



Mammae placed opposite the anterior third of vulva, and 

 6 inches from tip of it. 



* The tun of oQ is 252 gallous wine measure ; at a temperature of 60" Falir. 

 it weighs 1933 lbs. 12 oz. 14 dr. avoirdupois. 



