ON BELMULLET WHALING STATION. 159 
and facilitates comparison with measurements taken in other units. 
The station authorities record the total length of the whales captured, 
so that the lengths of those taken before my arrival were obtained and 
incorporated with those taken during the rest of the season. The sex 
of the individuals is not recorded at the station. 
A. Total Length. 
1. Balenoptera musculus (L.), the Common ‘ Finner.’—For this 
measurement the distance between the tip of the upper jaw and the 
notch of the flukes, measured along the back, was taken. This is 
certainly the most convenient method, and the lengths so obtained may 
be compared without serious error with those taken by the whaling- 
station authorities, and also with lengths obtained from stranded 
specimens. 
Table I. shows the total length, date of capture, and, in the 
majority, the sex of the different individuals of this species captured 
in the 1911 season. The first seven captures took place before my 
arrival at the station, and this accounts for the sexes being unknown. 
Tt will be seen that the majority of captures took place in July and 
August. 
TaBLe I.—Balenoptera musculus (L.). 
| Capture | Date of 
| ons iae: Total || Capture | Date of a Total | 
| Number | Capture nee Length Number | Capture Bex Length | 
| | Ft. in.|| Ft. in. 
) 1 Mayls ft bl GL vs 28 July 26 | @Q 59) 0 | 
aie Mie. ss 64 of — 29 at Cerne Ger, 0) | 
| 3 » 22 FN | OAD 30 umes Ger. |e 
| 4 yy 22 ? 43 0 | 31 3p) oe et GRR: | 
| 5 » 29 ? 576 | 32 Aug. 7 6 |63 0} 
| 6 June 1] ? 72 O 33 Le ee weed 2 75 (0 } 
7 Peet's wa ? TORS OFT 34 Fie || 3 | 6 6 
8 aS ee é 65 60 | 35 peel ll é 60 0. 
| 9 » 29 eT 0m 36 FESS é 61 6) 
10 July 3 2 ;,60 6 | 37 So dd) OF 16670: | 
a 11 cn. . 5 are) 6% Salles aS ihe cok Ie 6 | 64 6 
} 12 seta 3 53 3 | 39 aye Sesce ed 83 3 64 7 | 
13 ole 6 1553 40 or Bye (Pe ate ge cg | 
14 rae ty Q 70 9 41 Pees! by 3 62 6 
| 15 ae Op Ghiond bay Ae or Le 9 |66 8) 
i 16 eta (ae rf RC eer: sale 3 |6 8 
17 » 19 So =)65 “7 44 eo. 3 (jaa) 
18 » 20 Q) 1 65207 45 7 22 ane 67 83 
19 ee é |59 6 46 B99 9 160 9 
20 » 20 fe) 59 «6 47 970 23 é 65 7 
21 9 «24 3 66 48 Sept. 5 2 59 4 
22 » 24 3 60 6 49 3 10 2 68 9 
23 » 24 fe) 57 3 50 ad ie) 56 9 
24 » 24 ce) 57 3 | 51 yi 1s ce) 67 «68 
25 » 24 Q 66 8 52 » i8 3 58 4 
26 » 26 é 63 0 53 mals 3é 64 7 
aie a ae 3 63 «6 / | 
Table II. shows averages, total numbers, maxima, and minima 
collected together. 
