246 MK. R. COLLETT ON BAL.ENOPTERA BOREALIS. [Feb. 2, 



coast from Soroen, near Hammerfest, to Jarfjord in Syd Varanger, 

 and on the Murman coast at least to Kildin. 



When, during a stay in the Varaugerfjord in the month of July, 

 I ascertained that specimens of B. borealis were daily brought into 

 the factories at Vardo, I at once proceeded to that place, and in the 

 course of a couple of days I had an opportunity of examining the 

 external characters of six specimens, three males and three females, 

 whilst I saw double that number towed in, but want of time prevented 

 my examining them. 



Two drawings of this species have previously been produced. 

 According to Van Beneden and Gervais (Ostengr. des Get. p. 201) the 

 first known specimen of this whale (Zuyder-Zee, 181 1) was figured, 

 but these authors are unable to explain the fate of this figure, which 

 never seems to have been published. 



Another figure was given of Rudolphi's specimen (Holstein, 1819) 

 in a lithograph published in Hamburg, 1819 ; this figure is copied 

 in Brandt and Ratzeburg's • Medicinische Zoologie ' (B. 1. tab. xv. 

 fig. 3) ; it is, however, very imperfect and confusing '. 



As our knowledge of this species is thus still very meagre, I have 

 thought it right to give the principal results of my reseaiches at the 

 factories at Vardo and Mehavu tiiis year, although I am well 

 aware that my observations, based as they are upon only two days' 

 studies on the spot, are very incomplete. I am also indebted to 

 Messrs. Castberg, Bull, Bruun, Bryde, Ellevsen, and Sorensen, all 

 managers of the different factories, for communications chiefly relating 

 to their life-history as observed during their " fishing" this year '\ 



II. General Characters. 



Compared with the three other northern Rorquals, B. borealis 

 belongs to the smaller group, its length being somewhere between 

 that of 13. rostrata and B. musculus, or about 44 feet. 



Its body is less robust than B. rostrata, more like B. sibbaldi, 

 and much better proportioned than B. musculus. 



The colour on the upper ])art of the body is dark grey-blue, 

 something like B. sibbaldi. The belly is more or less white as far 

 as the genitalia, but the remainder of the undersurface and also the 

 flippers are of the same colour as the back. 



The flippers are small, smaller relatively than in the other species; 

 the dorsal fin is large, curved, and situated far forward. 



The baleen-plates are black ; the bristles are white and much 

 curled, and comparatively long. In the sea the B. borealis may be 

 recognized at the first glance by its large, high, dorsal fin, which 

 most nearly resembles that of B. rostrata, also by its head being 

 more slender, and its snout more rounded than are those of the other 

 Arctic species. 



^ The colour is eapeeially wrono;, -n-hicli is easily explained, as the auiuial 

 was probably drawn a long time after death. 



- I have to offer my best thanks to my friend Mr. Alfred Heneage Cock.s lor 

 the kind assistance he has rendered me by looking over the paper before it was 

 printed. 



