VII.—Some Observations upon Whales captured at Durban, 
by 
E. C. Chubb, F.Z.S., Curator, Durban Museum. 
Wits Prates XITI-X VI. 
Be dei G the favourable opportunity of making observations 
upon whales which presented itself whilst whaling operations 
were being conducted at Durban, I arranged for my assistant, Mr. 
D. R. Boyce, during the whaling season of 1914 to visit the slipways 
at the Bluff from time to time and there measure some of the whales 
and photograph them as they were landed. It was my intention that 
this work should be continued through successive seasons, in the hope 
that in the course of time some information of interest would be thus 
accumulated. But, unfortunately, the intervention of the War has 
practically extinguished the whaling industry here, for the time being 
at any rate, and consequently the work we had commenced was 
brought to an early conclusion. 
In spite of the fact that what has so far been accomplished is of a 
very scanty nature, it is deemed advisable to place it on record here. 
MEGAPTERA NODOSA LALANDI, Fischer. Humpback Whale. 
Plate XIII. 
Measurements of a female and two males, captured at Durban in 
July, 1914: 
kee B. 6 CaS 
3rd July, | 21st July,}21st July 
1914 1914 1914 
feet inches] feet inches} feet 
| 
in. 
Total length, from tip of snout to notch of tail] 46 0 sw © 43 6 
Tip of snout to posterior insertion of dorsal fin] 32 6 26 O 30 0 
Tip of snout to anterior insertion of dorsal fin} 28 0 24 0 Pir 
Tip of snout to eye centre ... ee soa, 10) LOZ WW @ 
Tip of snout to blow-hole ... oe a —- 8 0 LOGO 
Tip of snout to anterior insertion of pectorals 15 0 13 0 eS 
Tip of snout to axilla <6 ne sais = 159.0 ils}, 0) 
(89) 
