402 BALiENOPTERID*. 



CETAOEA. BALJSNOPTERIDJi. 



(MYSTAOOCETL) 



SIBBALD'S RORQUA.L. 

 Balmnoptera sibhaldii (J. E. Gray). 



Specific Character. — Elack above, sbading into slate-gi-ey below, more or 

 less varied with whitish spots and markings ; flippers black above, whitish 

 below ; baleen uniforjn deep black. Head broad ; flippers long and broad ; 

 dorsal-fin distinct, but very low. Vertebrie 6i ; ribs 16 pairs, the first usually 

 single-headed. Length of adult 60 to 80 feet or more. 



Physalus sihbaldii, J. E. Gray, P.Z.S., 1847, 92. 



Balcena borealis, (In part) ViS0B.t.v., Syn. 524 (1828). 



SiUaldius borealis, Geat, P. Z. S., 1864, 223. 



Plujsdhis latirvstris, Flowek, P. Z. S., 1864, 410. 



? " Bakcna tripinnis quce- raaxiUam 



infcriorcin rotimdam," &o. , Sibbalk, Nov. Phalcen., 33 (1692). 

 Stcypiireythr of Icelanders. 



Sibbald's Rorqual, probably the largest of its family, 

 has long been distinguished as a separate species by the 

 Icelanders under the name of Steijim-eythr, but was iirst 

 zoologically characterized by Dr. Gray, who in 1847 

 named it sihhaldii in honour of the distinguished Scotch 

 cetologist of the seventeenth century. Since then very 

 considerable additions have been made to our knowledge 

 of its history and structure, chiefly by the labours of 

 Professors Reinhardt, Flower, and Turner. 



