ON BELMULLET WHALING STATION. 173 
set of measurements for B. sibbaldii as that just considered for the 
common ‘ Finner.’ The measurements were taken in exactly the same 
way as those already discussed. 
There are only four individuals to be considered in this case, so that 
the averages are not so trustworthy. 
Table IX. gives the measurements reduced to percentages of the 
total length, the individuals being arranged in order of size, as in 
Table VI. ; 
Table X. shows the average percentages compared with correspond- 
ing figures obtained by True from a Newfoundland female measured 
by himself.*?. Here again the proportions of the Irish specimens are 
smaller than those obtained for the American individual. 
In this case the differences are greater than those found from 
Table VII., varying from 0°1 to 2°4 per cent. It is impossible to 
account for these differences at present, and it will be necessary for 
a larger number of European specimens of this species to be measured 
accurately before a careful comparison can be made. 
VI. Cotour. 
1. Balenoptera musculus (L.).—There is no doubt that the colour 
disposition in this species is variable, but the differences in the descrip- 
tions given by European authors are probably greater than the varia- 
tions which are aetually found among the living animals. This is due 
to. the fact that the pigmented parts darken comparatively rapidly on 
exposure to the air after the animal is dead. After a whale is killed 
it is brought to the station floating back downwards in the water, as 
stated above, so that if an examination be made as soon as the carcase 
is drawn up on the slip the errors due to darkening will probably not 
be very large, as the greater part of the pigment is found on the back, 
which has not been exposed to the air. The disposition of the light 
and dark portions will be even less affected than the actual shade of 
colour. 
The specimens examined showed a certain number of minor varia- 
tions, but the general colour-scheme was remarkably constant. This 
scheme was substantially the same as that given by Sars in 1866.** 
The curious asymmetry of colour in the jaws and baleen of this 
species was found to be very constant. There appears to be always 
more pigment on the left side of the body than on the right. Guldberg 
states that the asymmetry may be reversed,** and that the greater 
amount of pigment may be on the right side. True’s observations do 
not bear out this statement, and he concludes that the right side is 
always less pigmented than the left. My own observations entirely 
support True’s conclusion. In the specimens examined by me the 
greater amount of pigment always oceurred on the left side. A few 
of the individual variations in the amount and disposition of the pigment 
in specimens examined serve to show the kind of variation which occurs. 
32 True. on. cit., p. 159. : 
3 G. O. Sars, Chris. Videns.-Sclsk. Forhandl., Aar 1865, 1866, pp. 266-295, 
translated by True, op. cit., p. 120. 
34 Vide also Beddard, ‘A Book of Whales,’ p. 158. 
