236 DR. J. MURIE ON THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CAAING WHALE. 
vo 
The animal which furnished the material for the present Memoir was one out of 
above twenty Whales which were killed in the Frith of Forth in the latter end of April 
1867. A long and graphic account of the scene of capture appeared in the Edinburgh 
newspapers at the time, of which the subjoined is the substance:—A “school” of 
Whales, estimated between 150 and 200 in number, had been seen by the fishermen 
for a fortnight or so, cruising up and down the Frith. Nearing Prestonpans one day, 
a boat’s crew went in pursuit and managed to strike one of the largest of the Whales; 
the struggles to rid itself of the weapon were violent, and the boat at times was in 
peril. As the animal occasionally rose to the surface it uttered sounds and spouted ; 
its companions meanwhile remained near. Unable to extricate itself from the gear 
attached to the flesh-imbedded instrument, the Whale darted up the Frith, dragging 
the boat along with it. Exhausted from the wound and fruitless efforts to escape, 
after passing Newhaven and the Chain Pier, it suddenly darted into the bay on the 
east side of Granton Harbour, the “school” of Whales following. Numbers of boats 
now joined in the pursuit. The Whales thus driven, pressed shorewards into the 
shallows. A deadly fight ensued; the boatmen endeavouring to harpoon them, while 
other individuals, armed with picks, spades, &c., waded into the water hither and 
thither and courageously hacked all within their reach. Artillerymen and volunteers 
showed their prowess in firing mortal shots. During this encounter a Newhaven 
crew harpooned one animal, which struck out to sea, followed by such of its fellows 
as could escape. Hauling the boat and its crew of twelve men behind it nearly as 
far as Inchkeith, the wounded Whale at last succumbed, and the fishermen secured 
their well-earned prize. ‘The largest Whale killed measured 26 feet long and 11 feet 
in circumference; another was 21 feet in length, a third 16 feet long and 9 feet in 
girth ; numerous smaller ones varied in size, the least being between 6 and 7 feet long. 
Hr. Malm, “ Anatomy of B. caroline,” (Sfvers. Vet. Ak. Forhandl. 1868, p. 95; Professor Turner, “An Account 
of the Great Finner Whale, Balenoptera sibbaldii,’ Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinb. 1870, p, 197; Professor Van 
Beneden, ‘‘ Mémoire sur une Balénoptére capturée dans l’Escault en 1869,” Mém. Acad. Belg. xxxviii. 1871 ; 
Mr. Perrin, “ Notes on the Anatomy of B. rostrata,” P. Z.S. 1870, p. 805; Professor Struthers, ‘ On Bale- 
noptera musculus,’ Journ. of Anat. 1871, p. 107; J. Murie, Grampus rissoanus, Journ. of Anat. 1870, 
Lagenorhynchus albirostris, J. Linn, Soc. 1870; Professor Gervais, ‘* Remarques sur l’Anat, d. Cétacés,” Nouv. 
Archives du Muséum, 1871, p. 65. 
Oddly enough though it may sound, I have to some extent anticipated myself in the order of publication—a 
circumstance for which I am not responsible. Remodelling a paper is at all times awkward, but doubly so in 
the present instance, on account of my illustrations having long ago been drawn on stone, I have preferred, 
therefore, to preserve the original form with abbreviations and emendations in some parts, interpolations and 
footnotes &c. in others, so as to include recent writings. It would both be unpleasant and unfair for me to 
pass over in silence the observations of others haying the advantage of priority of publication. I must craye 
leniency if some of my data appear behindhand or irregular in character, inasmuch as to waive all notice of 
them while giving illustrations would seem as if I were abstracting from the labours of others rather than pro- 
ducing original research on my own part. My plates, however, I am bound to say, will bear testimony to my 
haying examined for myself, and quite independently of what has since been produced by others, 
