360 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 3 



The commonest,., with us at any rate,, is the Coinmon Rorqual (B. 

 musculus), which 'measures'" about twenty yards, and is slate above and 

 white below,,; with black whalebone Then there are the 51ue Whale (R. 

 5^a/^)„ thehugest animal in existence, which- grows to thirty yards, and 

 is blue-slate all over, also with black whalebone,, and Rudorphi's Rorqual 

 {B. borealis), /which is slaty-black spotted with, white above, and white 

 below, with white tips to the black whalebone. This is about fifteen 

 yards long, but is not so small as: the fourth species^ the; Pike-Whale 

 (B. wstrata^ black above and white below, with -a white band across 

 the flipper, and pale-colqured whalebone.. This is only about ten yards 

 long, but is a great, fish-eater,, like the Common Rorqual, the idea that 

 all Whalebone Whales feed on minute creatures not being quite correct. 



\.. . ' _-j ... ' . . ... : -i.Ji-; :.; = . 



THE HUMPBACK 



^' J " {Megaptera longimand'f '' 



.. " i - * 



The Humpback, which is* found in all seas., is a clumsy-looking 

 Whale, with a pleated throat and- ' short, hump-rjike b^ck-fin. It is 

 variably marked with black,, white,, and grey, but its great charac- 

 teristic is the length of the flippers;, which are .also white, in t Colour/ 

 They measure about four yards, the whole length of the beast being 

 about fifteen. The whalebone /is short and black. This is a rather 

 tame and playful Whale, being particularly given to smacking its 

 friends with it's flippers,, producing a noise which may be heard miles 

 off. in calm weather. * ■: ';,;, 



THE CALIFORNIAN GREY WHALE 



• .'•■ t, {Rhachianectes glaucus\ ...,,,. -• r ,- .,."-. • ■> ; ... 



This Whale;, which is confined to the Pacific coast of North! America, 

 up and down ; which it ranges: according to .season,, is ©f a mottled 

 grey colour, . with, light-coloured, whalebone. ) It has >. no-. back-fin r and 

 only two pleats on the throat.', It measures about fourteen; yards 

 only, but is considered, one of the most dangerous of all- Whales, 

 owing to its fierce temper and its., habit of frequenting i very shallow 

 water, where it is difficult to see; what it is doing owing to the 

 stirred-up sand; hence it is often, called " Devii-fish." . < ! * - ■■:■} >■-. 



