50 MARINE MAMMALS OF THE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. 



in it, five and a half feet long, which dispelled all doubts in regard to its matu- 

 rity. The principal distinguishing features of this whale are, its dwarfish size ; its 

 pointed head, which in form resembles a beak ; its low, falcated dorsal fin, which 

 is placed about two -thirds of the length of the animal from the anterior extremity 

 of its lower jaw, which is the longest ; and its inordinately small, pointed pectorals, 

 which are marked with a white band above and near their bases, and are placed 

 about one -third of the animal's length from its anterior extremity. The bone, or 

 baleen, in its natural state is of a pure white, with a short, thin fringe of the same 

 color. The number of lamince on each side of the moutli was two hundred and 

 seventy, and the longest of these measured ten inches. The surface of the animal 

 was a dull black above, white below. The under side of both pectoral and caudal 

 fins was white also. Seventy longitudinal folds extended along the throat and the 

 lower portion of the body, between and a little behind the fins ; and, while the 

 outer surface of the folds was of a milky whiteness, the creases between them were 

 of a pinkish cast, imparting the same shade to the throat as far back as the pecto- 

 rals. The following table gives the proportions of this specimen : 



Ft. In. 



Lengtli of animal , 27 



Lengtli of pectorals 4 



Breadth of pectorals 1 1 



End of snout to spiracles 3 8 



End of snout to pectorals 8 6 



End of snout to corner of mouth 4 8 



Dorsal to fork of caudal fin 9 o 



Dorsal junction along the back 2 4 



Dorsal's height 10 



Caudal fin from point to point 7 Q 



Breadth of lobes of caudal fin 2 1 



Fork of caudal fin to anus g 4 



Fork of caudal fin to genital slit g q 



Depth of animal at pectorals g ^ 



The foregoing measurements were hurriedly taken while the whale was being 

 cut up, which was quickly accomplished ; for as fast as the Italians stripped off the 

 blubber, the Indians came from a village near, and slashed away at the half- putrid 

 flesh, which they packed off to their camps, declaring loudly that the meat was 

 excellent food. The coating of yellowish fat that incased the body averaged three 

 inches in thickness, and the yield of oil was about three hundred gallons. 



The habits of this whale are in many respects like those of the Finback. It 



