1088 SIR SIDNEY HARMER ON CERVICAL VERTEBRA 



Blue Whale stranded at Ocean City, New Jersey, in October 

 1891. Although not completely satisfactory, in view of the 

 small size of the animal, this may be taken as a basis for com- 

 parison. The measurements it is necessaiy to notice are as 

 follows : — 



The Wexford skull is partially disarticulated, and it is not 

 possible to state its exact length. According to True's measure- 

 ments of the New Jersey specimen, the total length of the 

 animal is approximately given by multiplying the length of the 

 skull by 4*5, of the mandible (along curve) by 3*9, of tlie mandible 

 (straight) by 4'4, and of the axis-breadth by 22. The proportions 

 in other whales are known to differ as a result of age or individual 

 variation, but it is not without interest to ascertain how far the 

 factors indicated above will apply in the present connection. 

 Taking these proportions, the estimates of the length of the 

 Longniddry whale, derived from tlieaxis, tlie mandible (strniglit) 

 and tiio mandible (along curve) are respectively 80' 8", 85' 5 ", 

 and 82' 6", with an average of 82' IC, which agrees well enough 

 with Turner's vague estimate of " 70 to 80 feet or upwards." 

 The same three measurements of the Wexford whale are respec- 

 tively 81' 7", 82' 1", and 78' 4", with an average of 80' 8", as 

 compared with thei'ecorded length of 82 feet. The only available 

 measurement of the Panama whale is that of the axis ; but, 

 applying the same proportion, the estimated total length of the 

 animal is 101' 3|". I think this may be regarded as a substantial 

 confirmation of the recorded length of 98 feet. The skull of 

 this animal may have been about 23 feet long. 



Scoresby *, a particularly reliable authority, mentions the 

 following records of large Blue Whales, which he describes as 

 Balmnoptera Gibhar : — A specimen found dead in Davis Strait, 

 105 feet ; an individual sti-anded on the banks of the Ilumber 

 in September 1750, 101 feet. Another old record of a large 

 Blue Whale is that of the well-known " Ostende Whale," which 

 was found floating in the North Sea and towed into the harbour 

 of Ostende on Nov. 4, 1827, its length having been variously 

 estimated as 80 to 102 feet. It has been customary to discredit 

 such measurements, but the evidence of the Panama specimen 

 tends to confirm their accuracy. The point is one of great impor- 

 tance, in view of the inclination of naturalists to distinguish a 



* ' An Account of the Arctic Regions,' vol. i. pp. 481, 482 (1820). 



