84 
MAMMALS. 
In a communication from Mr. Eeid, he says as follows : 
— "I am a little at a loss about the whales, seeing that 
Professor Bell's, and those of Fleming, Low, etc., are 
differently named. Between Noss Head and Wick there 
is an opening between two ledges of rock with deep water ; 
it is narrow, but wide enough for a whale to enter, but when 
he does so, he finds no passage through : it is a cul-de-sac. 
In my recollection no less than four specimens of large size, 
65 to 85 feet long, have been captured here. Two of them, 
since my return to Wick, I have seen and examined. I 
believe that both were Eorquals, indeed I am very sure of 
that — the largest the Great Northern Eorqual — the smaller 
B. minor. It is possible, however, that the smaller was 
the same species as the larger, but not full-grown. All 
these large whales, which are seen every herring-fishing 
season in great numbers blowing among the herrings, are 
called 'Finners,' from having a large dorsal fin on the 
back. 
The last whale got in the place above mentioned was 
on the 26th September 1871. It was sold by public roup 
for £35. These whales are not rich in blubber, and their 
whalebone is only a few inches long, and is worth little 
or nothing : this specimen measured about 70 feet. It was 
photographed by our local photographer." 
A larger specimen was caught in the same place, either 
just before or in 1867, and was said to be 85 feet long. 
Another smaller specimen was caught there when Mr. 
Eeid was in Orkney, and he remembers one being taken 
there when he was a boy. Mr. Eeid justly remarks that 
when so many have been taken in such a small place, it 
shows how abundant they must be on the coast. 
38. Baleenoptera sibbaldii, {Gray.) Sibbald's Rorqual. 
39. Balaenoptera borealis, Less. Rudolph's Rorqual. 
40. Balaenoptera rostrata, {Fah.) Lesser Rorqual. 
