AN ACCOUNT OF A FINBACK-WHALE (BALAENOPTERA SPEC) 



WHICH WAS WASHED ASHORE ON THE SOUTH-COAST 



OF THE PREANGER REGENCIES IN DECEMBER 1916. 



by W. Reuter, 



Assistant-curator of the Zoological Museum and Laboratory at Buitenzorg. 



Introduction. 



Towards the end of December 1916 it was mentioned in several Batavia 

 newspapers, how a whale of extraordinary dimensions had been washed 

 ashore on the S.-coast of the Preanger, between Tjilauteureun and Tjikelet. 

 This being an extremely unusual thing on Java, Mr. P. A. Ouwens, the 

 Curator of the Zoological Museum of Buitenzorg, attended by a mantri- 

 draughtsman and a native photographer, hastened to the place where the 

 Cetacean had run aground, in order to determine to what extent this specimen 

 might prove valuable to the forementioned museum. 



A few photos were then taken and at the same time a number of 

 measurements effected, the principal ones being: 



1. the length of the body 27,28 M. 



2. the girth of the body 15,12 „ 



3. the width of the tail-fin 4,50 „ 



As it had meanwhile been decided to get the skeleton of the stranded 



whale conveyed to Buitenzorg, I started for the S.-coast of the Preanger 

 Regencies on January 6th. 1917, accompanied by two native preparators. 



The operations necessary to obtaining the various parts of the skeleton 

 were carried out there, and the transport to Garut provided for. 



In spite of the many difficulties met with in the transport across the 

 rough hilly country, owing to the absence of good roads and bridges, and 

 notwithstanding the fact that the heavy fragments had to be carried across 

 ridges 5000 ft. high, after 44 days everything arrived at destination in proper 

 order and condition. *) 



*) Much appreciated assistance was received in the course of this work from 

 Mr. J. A. van Oostersee and Mr. E. van Leeuwen, resp. overseer and forman of the 

 Board of Public Works at Goenoeng Glap; also from Raden Soerialegawa, the wedana 

 of Pameumpeuk and Raden Danoeatmadja, the assistant-wedana of Tjikelet. 



