CHAPTER IV. 

 THE SHARP-HEADED FIX^^ER WHALE. 



Bal^inopteea Davidsoni, Scammon. (Plate Yii, fig. 2.) 



The name "Sharp -headed Finner" is applied to this, the smallest species of 

 BalcBnoptera known on the coast. The only one we have examined was found dead 

 on the northern shore of Admiralty Inlet, Washington Territory, by some Italian 

 lishermen, in October, 1870 ; transported by them to the opposite shore, and towed 

 into Port Townsend Bay, Avhere it was flensed on the beach. This opportunity 

 of seeing the animal out of the water became unusually interesting to us, for 

 there was a mystery about its history which we had not been able to solve in the 

 course of twelve years' observations, during which time we had traced it from the 

 coast of Mexico to Behring Sea. In the Strait of Juan de Fuca opportunities were 

 afforded for observing its habits moi'e closely than elsewhere. 



The animal in question is generally called by whalers a "young Finback," or a 

 "Finback's calf," and for several years we were under the impression that this 

 inference was correct. In the Strait of Juan de Fuca, these whales were met with 

 in numbers together, or singly, throughout the year ; but, though they frequently 

 played around the vessel, we could never get near enough to decide whether they 

 were toothed whales or allied to the whalebone species. The length of the indi- 

 vidual captured in Admiralty Inlet was twenty- seven feet. When compared with 

 other Bakenidce, it appeared so small, that we were skeptical whether it was an 

 adult or not; but, upon making an examination, a well -developed foetus* was found 



* This foetus was remarkably well formed, 

 and iu point of color -marks, corresponded with 

 those upon the parent animal, with the excep- 

 tion of being somewhat dimmer. The following 

 are its dimensions : 



Ft. In. 



Total length 5 6 



Caudal fin between extremities 1 2 



Width of each lobe of caudal fin 4i 



Maeine Mammals. — 7. <«) 



Ft. Iu 



From fork of caudal to dorsal fia . . . . 1 7 



Dorsal junction along the back 5 



Height of dorsal 



Point of snout to corner of mouth ... 1 



Point of snout to eyes 1 



Point of snout to pectorals 1 



Fi-om top of back to pectorals 



From top of head to corner of mouth 



2 



24 

 10 

 9 

 4 



