MAMMALIA. 



Order Getacea. 

 Whales, Porpoises, and Dolphins. 



This group of mammals living wholly in the water as 

 they do have become so modified that there is very little 

 resemblance externally to the class of animals to which they 

 belong. And they are continually confused with the fishes 

 by a great many people. Mammals of this order are seldom 

 seen and not easily recognized. They are entirely carnivo- 

 rous, their food consisting of fishes, mollusks and crusta- 

 ceans. They often travel in %t schools," sometimes con- 

 taining hundreds of individuals. 



Family Balaenidae. 



Right Whale; Black Whale; Nord-Caper, 



Eubalaena glacialis (Bonnaterre). 



This whale is of large size, a full grown specimen meas- 

 uring 50 to 60 ft. The head is nearly equal to 1-3 of the 

 total length. Color black, sometimes varied with white 

 beneath. They have no fin on the back which serves 

 to distinguish them from the Finback or Humpback. Its 

 range is the North Atlantic Ocean, and although there is 

 no definite record of this species having been captured 

 within the county limits, it no doubt occurs off shore. 

 Scammon states that the Right Whale sometimes yields 130 

 bbls. of oil and 1550 lbs. of whalebone.* See Plate 1. 



Humpback Whale. Megaptera nodosa (Bonnaterre). 



This whale has been seen off Marblehead. It occurs 

 rarely. Description in a general way much like the Fin- 

 back, except back strongly convexed, flippers very long and 

 scalloped on edge, color black above, white beneath. See 

 Plate t 



•Marine Mammals and Whale Fisheries, p. 66. 



