6 MAMMALS OF EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS 



Little piked whale. Balaenoptera acuto-rostrata 

 Lacepede. 



Length from 10 to 35 ft. Easily recognized by its small 

 size, large head, presence of " whale-bone" in the mouth. 

 Deep longitudinal furrows on throat. Color black above, 

 pinkish-white beneath, a white band around the flippers 5 

 or 6 in. wide. Often taken for a young right whale. The 

 only record for the county is an imperfect skull dredged up 

 at Pigeon Cove in 1881 and sent to the National Museum at 

 Washington, D. C. In August, 1910, a specimen came 

 ashore at Provincetown. A. cast of this specimen is now 

 on exhibition at the Boston Society of Natural History. 

 See Plate 2. 



Common Finback whale ; Finback, Balaenoptera 

 physalus (Linne). 



Common off our coast. Length 40 to 50 feet. Head 

 equal or rather less than 1-4 the total length. A fleshy 

 dorsal fin is present. Color black above, white beneath, 

 and mottled on the side. It is said to be a more active 

 and rapid swimmer than the Right Whale. See Plate 1. 



Sulphur-bottom ; Blue Whale. Balaenoptera mus- 

 culus (Linne). 



This is the giant of all whales. Length 70 to 90 feet. It 

 is a pelagic species and is usually seen well off shore. 

 Color brownish gray above, sulphur yellow beneath. The 

 Dorsal tin lies well back and is very small and thin. The 

 only record is of one which was cast ashore on King's 

 Beach at Lynn.* See Plate 2. 



Family Physeteridae. 



Sperm whale; Cachalot. Physeter macrocephalus 

 (Linue). 



Color brownish black above, lighter below. This species 

 probably occurs rarely off the coast. It is one of our 

 largest whales, a full grown specimen measuring from 60 

 to 80 ft. Head oblong, level with back, square and trun- 



*Felt's History of Lynn and Salem. 



