358 FROM EDINBURGH TO THE ANTARCTIC 
by the ice. But it is hardly possible that Ross could have 
been thus deceived after thirteen years' experience in 
Arctic Seas. Besides, he also adds, ' their enormous 
breadth quite astonished us.' This is a second great 
characteristic. The Bowhead Whale has a great, broad, 
flat back, with a head one-third the total length of its 
body. The finners which we saw had a bony vertebral 
ridge, and very much smaller heads. 
On the 1 6th of December, when we first made ice, we 
passed among thousands of finner whales. Many came 
quite close to the ship, and, as far as the eye could reach 
in all directions, one could see their curved backs, and see 
and hear their resounding 'blasts.' Euphasia swarmed 
in the water. Many blue petrels, and myriads of Cape 
pigeons were flying around, and settling on the surface. 
On the 26th of January, while out in a boat, I saw what 
at first appeared to be a rolling piece of ice, but what was 
in reality a white finner whale. 
The whale which I have said strongly resembled the «m 
Pacific Hunchback Whale (Megaptera versabilis), I have 
seen going 'tail up, 5 a characteristic of the Bowhead 
Whale. It has a broader and flatter back than the finner 
whale mentioned, but can scarcely be said to resemble 
Balama mysticctus. 
On the outward and homeward voyage, we con- 
stantly met with great schools of dolphins and porpoises, 
as well as, on several occasions, with whales, but I must 
confess that I found identification very difficult. At Port 
Stanley I secured a ground porpoise, the skeleton of which 
is now in University College Museum, Dundee. It was 
