1074 MR. 0KJAN OLSEN ON 



until then as inhabiting the eastern parts of the North Atlantic, 

 it was very desirable from a scientific point of view to get further 

 information about the species from Saldanha Bay, and also about 

 other South African whales, by studying them on the spot. 

 Mr. Johan Bryde, who has often displayed his interest in and 

 generosity towards science, then offered me the necessary pecuniary 

 assistance, and thus enabled me to undertake a journey to South 

 Africa to study the above questions and some other scientific 

 matters there. During this expedition, which lasted nearly a 

 year, I visited both the east and west coasts and was able to 

 make many interesting observations. 



The " seihval " from Saldanha Bay proved to be very different 

 from Rudolphi's whale (B. borecdis), and is described in this paper 

 as a new species, named after Johan Bryde, to whose generosity 

 I am so much indebted. I have also to thank Capt. Andr. 

 Ingebrigtsen, Capt. P. J. T. Larsen, and Mr. Lars Iversen for 

 their kind help. 



BaljEnoptera brydei Olsen. 

 ' Tidens Tegn,' November 12, 1912. (A Norwegian newspaper.) 



Synopsis. 



The average total length is 13 and the maximum nearly 

 15 metres. The shape is very elongated ; the greatest height 

 13-14 per cent, of the total length. The distance from the tip of 

 the snout to the angle of the mouth is about 20 per cent, of the 

 total length. The flippers are slender and pointed, 8-10'6 per 

 cent, of the total length. The dorsal fin is small ; its vei-tical 

 lieight 2-2'4 per cent, of the total length. The distance from 

 the tip of the snout to the anterior margin of the dorsal fin is 

 69-70 per cent, of the total length, occasionally shorter ; the 

 minimum is 65 per cent. The distance from notch of flukes to 

 vent is about 27*2 per cent, of the total length ; the number of 

 ventral furrows 42-54 ; they extend backwards to the umbilicus, 

 a.bout 1*2 metres behind the tip of the flippers. The number of 

 baleen-plates (without the anterior rudimentary baleen) 250-280 ; 

 their greatest length neai-ly 0'50 metre. The bi'istles of the 

 baleen are very thick, long and stiff, not curling ; their colour is 

 grey. The anterior baleen is as a rule more or less white ; the 

 other greyish-black. The upper side of the flipper is bluish- 

 black, the under side grey. The colour of the body is bluish- 

 black above, with oblong light-coloured spots ; the throat and 

 an ai-ea up to about 0"65 metre below the tiippei's on each side 

 are dark bluish-gi'ey ; the other parts of the under side are 

 white, more or less yellowish, often with a grey band across the 

 belly in front of the umbilicus. 



General Characteristics and Measicreinents. 



Balcenoptera hnjdei is a comparatively small species, with an 

 average total length of about 13 metres, or occasionally a little 



