Smith : Lincolnshire Mammals. 



49 



Bal.^;noptera musculus L. Common Rorqual. Has been stranded on 

 the coast several times. At Eastertime of 1892, one g-ot ashore at 

 Spurn, and was brought across to Cleethorpes. The total length was 

 76 feet ; g-irth behind flippers, 32 feet 4 inches ; g'ape, 15 feet 6 inches ; 

 across tail, 15 feet 6 inches ; length of pectoral fin, 7 feet 6 inches. 

 A full description of this mammal is given by the late John Cordeaux in 

 'The Naturalist,' 1892. 



Bai„^:noptera sibbaldii Bell. Sibbald's Whale, One occurrence in 

 the mouth of the Humber. This (the type) specimen was washed up in 

 1835, and has for many years been the chief attraction of the Hull 

 Museum. It is the subject of the first of the ' Hull Museum Publica- 

 tions,' which gives an exhaustive account of this important exhibit. 

 See 'The Naturalist,' August 1901, pp. 233-240; and July 1904, PI. IX. 

 for figure. 



Bal^noptera borealis Lesson. Rodolph's Rorqual. One of this 

 species occurred in the Humber in 1884, taken at Goole. 



Bal^noptera rostrata Fabr. Lesser Rorqual. Once recorded for 

 the Humber by J. E. Gray, 1873. 



Fam. PHYSETERID.^:. 



Physeter macrocephalus L. Sperm Whale. A most interesting early 

 record — 1563 — is contributed by Mr. John Hopkins, of Grimsby, to 

 'The Naturalist,' 1885, and evidently refers to this species. In the 

 ' Field Club' of 1891 a whale 13 feet long is recorded for the Lincoln- 

 shire coast, and in 1646 a 'school,' comprising some eight or nine 

 individuals, appears to have entered the wash. 



Hyperoodon rostratus MuUer. Bottle-nosed Whale. Is almost of 

 annual appearance. One occurred at Frieston in 1896. A skeleton is 

 preserved in the Hull Museum. For a description of a shoal of 25 bottle- 

 noses at Goole in 1863 or 1864 see ' Reminiscences of a Whale Hunt at 

 Goole over thirty years ago.' Trans. Hull Scientific and Field Nat. 

 Club, 1899, pp. 37-39, also 'The Natural History of Goole Moor,' loc. 

 cit. 1898, pp. 7-8. 



Mesoplodon sowerbiensis Gervais. Sowerby's Beaked Whale. In 

 1885 a specimen appeared at the mouth of the Humber. 



Fam. DELPHINID/E. 



Monodon monoceros L. Narwhal. Only about three occurrences on 

 British shores. The second record was a specimen taken near Boston 

 in 1800. 



Phoc^na communis Lesson. Common Porpoise. The commonest of 

 British Cetaceans and of frequent occurrence. 



Orca Gladiator Gray. Grampus. Occurred in the Humber 1885. 

 Was captured at a point where the Ouse and Trent rivers meet, and is 

 now, I believe, in the South Kensington Museum. 



Globicephalus meles Bell. Pilot Whale. A shoal appeared at Clee- 

 thorpes in 1862 (G. H. Caton Haigh). 



Lagenorhynchus albirostris Gray. White-Beaked Dolphin. Occur- 

 red off Grimsby, September 1879(0. H. Caton Haigh). 



TuRSiOPS TURSio Gervais. Bottle-nose Dolphin. Fairly common, and 

 has occurred along- our coast a few times. J. Cordeaux reports one at 

 Tetney Haven, August 25th 1888, and one at Spurn, 1879. 



Pseudorca crassidens. Lesser Killer. A skull was found in the fens 

 near Stamford, and the species was believed to be extinct, but has sub- 

 sequently been found living- in the North Sea. 



1905 February i. D 



