236 DR. J. MUEIE ON THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CAAING WHALE. 



The animal which furnished the material for the present Memoir was one out of 

 above twenty Whales which were killed in the Frith of Forth in the latter end of April 

 1867. A long and graphic account of the scene of capture appeared in the Edinburgh 

 newspapers at the time, of which the subjoined is the substance: — A "school" of 

 Whales, estimated between 150 and 200 in number, had been seen by the fishermen 

 for a fortniglit or so, cruising up and down the Frith. Neai-ing Prestonpans one day, 

 a boat's crew went in pursuit and managed to strike one of the largest of the Whales ; 

 the struggles to rid itself of the weapon were violent, and the boat at times was in 

 peril. As the animal occasionally rose to the surface it uttered sounds and spouted ; 

 its companions meanwhile remained near. Unable to extricate itself from the gear 

 attached to the flesh-imbedded instrument, the Whale darted up the Frith, dragging 

 the boat along with it. Exhausted from the wound and fruitless efforts to escape, 

 after passing Newhaven and the Chain Pier, it suddenly darted into the bay on the 

 east side of Granton Harbour, the "school" of Whales following. Numbers of boats 

 now joined in the pursuit. The Whales thus driven, pressed shorewards into the 

 shallows. A deadly fight ensued ; the boatmen endeavouring to harpoon them, while 

 other individuals, armed with picks, spades, &c., waded into the water hither and 

 thither and courageously hacked all within their reach. Artillerymen and volunteers 

 showed their prowess in firing mortal shots. During this encounter a Newhaven 

 crew harpooned one animal, which struck out to sea, followed by such of its fellows 

 as could escape. Hauling the boat and its crew of twelve men beliind it nearly as 

 far as Inchkeith, the wounded Whale at last succumbed, and the fishermen secured 

 their well-earned prize. The largest Whale killed measured 26 feet long and 11 feet 

 in circumference; another was 21 feet in length, a third 16 feet long and 9 feet in 

 girth ; numerous smaller ones varied in size, the least being between 6 and 7 feet long. 



Hr. Malm, "Anatomy of B. caroKnce," (Efvers. Vet. Ak. Forhandl. 1S68, p. 95 ; Professor Turner, "An Account 

 of the Great Finner Whale, Balanoptera sibbaldii," Trans. Eoy. Soo. Edinb. 1870, p. 197 ; Professor Van 

 Beneden, " Memoii'e sur une Balenoptere capturee dans I'Escault en 1809," Mem. Acad. Belg. xxxviii. 1871 ; 

 Mr. Perrin, " Notes on the Anatomy of B. rostraia," P. Z. S. 1870, p. 805 ; Professor Struthers, " On BaliB- 

 noptera musculus," Joum. of Anat. 1871, p. 107 ; J. Murie, Grampus rissoamis, Journ. of Anat. 1870, 

 Lagenorhynchus albirostris, 3. Linn. Soc. 1870 ; Professor Gervais, " Kemarques sur I'Anat. d. Cetaces," Nouv. 

 Archives du Museum, 1871, p. 65. 



Oddly enough though it may sound, I have to some extent anticipated myself in the order of publication — a 

 circumstance for which I am not responsible. Remodelling a paper is at aU times awkward, but doubly so in 

 the present instance, on account of my illustrations having long ago been drawn on stone. I have preferred, 

 therefore, to preserve the original form with abbreviations and emendations in some parts, interpolations and 

 footnotes &c. in others, so as to include recent writings. It would both be unpleasant and unfair for me to 

 pass over in silence the observations of others having the advantage of priority of publication. I must crave 

 leniency if some of my data appear behindhand or irregular in character, inasmuch as to waive all notice of 

 them while giving illustrations would seem as if I were abstracting from the labour's of others rather tlian pro- 

 ducing original research on my own part. My plates, however, I am bound to say, will bear testimony to my 

 having examined for myself, and quite independently of what has since been produced by others. 



