ORDER CETACEA. 495 



west between Spitzbergen and Davis's Straits. This from 

 superficial reading induced Klein to establish his Balance 

 Glacialis which he divides into Australis and Occidentalism 

 and adds the Nord-Caper as a variety under thename Borealis, 

 the habitat of which is in reality more southern than that of 

 Australis. This name Nord-Caper has also been since 

 indistinctly used for many of the larger Cetacea, supposed 

 to be slenderer than the Common Whale. 



" As to the Nord-Caper, the only document of any authen- 

 ticity concerning it, consisted in the figures done in Green- 

 land by Backstrom, and sent by Sir Joseph Banks to Lace- 

 pede. They certainly appeared different from those of the 

 Common Whale, as long as these last were taken only from 

 that of Martens above mentioned ; but since the recent and 

 exact figure of Captain Scoresby, it is evident, on comparison, 

 that he and Backstrom represented but one and the same 

 species. This is affirmed by Scoresby himself, who has 

 braved with the most distinguished courage and perse- 

 verance those dreary climates where the Whale fishery is 

 carried on, and since the year 1820 has personally contri- 

 buted to the taking of three hundred and twenty individuals. 

 He declares that the old drawing of Martens, represents 

 nothing in nature, and that there is no foundation for the 

 species of the Nord-Caper. 



"The case of the Gibbar or Fm-fisch is not precisely 

 similar to the last. It has been described and represented 

 by Martens as a distinct species. But when we reflect on 

 the one hand, that it is his figure which has been copied in 

 all books of natural history, none having been given even 

 by Captain Scoresby, and on the other, that Martens has 

 not spoken of the Rorqual, or Whale with folded throat, 

 called also Fin-fisch, we may be led to suspect some con- 

 fusion. 



" This animal would appear to be as long or longer than 

 the Common Whale, much more slender, with a more 



