BELMULLET WHALING STATION. 129 
Measurements of the Pectoral Fin. 
(9) Length of anterior border. There is an eminence at the anterior, 
proximal end of the pectoral fin. Immediately anterior to this is a 
slight depression. The eminence marks approximately the position 
of the head of the humerus. Our measurement was taken from the 
tip of the flipper, along the anterior margin, to the centre of the 
eminence. 
(10) The posterior length was taken from the tip, along the 
margin, to the axilla. This measurement was not easy to take, as 
the flipper was almost always directed backwards and the axilla 
compressed. When this was the case the exact point of proximal 
measurement had to be found by judgment, as the size of the limb 
and the rigidity of the muscles attached to it entirely prevented any 
attempt at altering the attitude of the fin. 
(11) The median length was taken from the tip in a straight line, 
down the centre of the flipper, to a point on a line drawn through 
the axilla in such a manner as to carry on the outline of the body. 
In taking this measurement the idea was to estimate the extent to 
which the limb projects from the body. 
(12) The greatest breadth of the pectoral fin was generally found 
to be about half-way between the tip and the insertion. 
(13) The length of the dorsal fin was taken from the posterior 
insertion as defined above, and the anterior insertion, which could 
usually be found with moderate accuracy. This measurement cannot 
be regarded as more than approximate. 
The flukes had been cut off every whale before it was towed in, but 
on B. musculus (No. 19) the right fluke had not been completely 
severed. Measurement gave 7 ft. 5 in. as the distance between tip 
of fluke and caudal notch. The spread of the flukes was therefore 
14 ft, 10 in. 
Total Length. 
The following table shows the averages of total length of the five 
species taken, and a more detailed analysis of the total measurements 
of the Finners at different stages. I have taken as the minima for 
adult males and females the dimensions adopted by Burfield,+ who 
followed True :— 
Finners (B. musculus, L.) 
Ft. in. 
Average length of all finners CO) RENT bar arian ote OO) Lr 9 
Pi 4 », females (17) - : . ; ee GO, A 7 
- oh > males (20) F A F i 3. 59e 10 
co . », adult females (12) : ; : : . 64 O 
Maximum for females. 4 4 5 5 5 ; . . 69 8 
Minimum for females f A - ; ‘ A é , = (48 87 
Average for adult males (16) . ‘ 6 4 5 , ; . 60 8 
Maximum for males . 3 : : ar Pe ee ee . 66 O 
Minimum for males... ae eee A 4 ieee A oe! 
* Op. cit., p. 160. 
1914. K 
