Qundrupeds, S^c. 33 



Note on llie Capture of a Whale at Deptford. 



Fin-backed whale, fHalcowptera boops.) 



On the afternoon of Sunday, the 23rd of October last, a whale was 

 seen slowly floating down the river near Deptford pier. Some of the 

 watermen put off in a boat, and one, armed with a spear, struck the 

 intruder, which caused him instantly to spout up streams of water 

 through his blowers. It however soon became evident that the poor 

 creature was in too exhausted a state either to escape or make any 

 resistance, and a number of other boats gathering round, he was got 

 alongside the pier without much difficulty, and subsequently, by the 

 aid of ropes, hoisted on the platform, where he was received by such 

 a concourse of visitors that the assistance of the police was called in 

 to preserve the peace. On Monday morning the whale was removed 

 to the premises of the Bull and Butcher public-house, and notice of 

 the capture having been sent to the British Museum, Mr. Gray, the 

 principal zoological officer of that establishment, went down to Dept- 

 ford to examine him. That gentleman, wdth his accustomed kindness 

 and zeal in diffusing information on every branch of Natural History, 

 has furnished the Editor of ^ The Zoologist ' with an outline sketch, 

 made by himself on the spot, together with the following description 

 and admeasurements. 



The whale was of a blackish lead colour, dorsal fin and lips of the 

 same colour as the back ; chin and under parts of the body below the 

 pectoral fins white ; there was also a large white spot on each pecto- 

 ral flapper, occupying nearly half of its upper outer side. The 

 blowers were situated over the eyes ; they were linear, rather diverg- 

 ing, and valvular like the nostrils of a seal; each blower was 5 J inches 

 long, and there was a deep groove between them 7 inches long. The 



D 



