BRITISH MAMMALS 
Collett gives the colour of the upper parts as ' dark blue grey.' It 
should be borne in mind that the effect of outdoor light gives the smooth 
shining backs of all these whales a bluish cast. The baleen blades, which 
are of considerable value as whalebone, are black in colour, with the bristly 
parts yellowish white. 
Little was known about this Rorqual till the Norwegians started their 
whaling stations about the North Cape in the early ' eighties ' of last 
century, when it was found to be a regular visitor to these northern 
waters in the summer months. 
In 1885 no less than 771 were taken off the coast of Finmark, and 
large catches have been obtained in recent years in the neighbourhood 
of St. Kilda and north of the Shetlands. From May till August it 
appears to be common in some seasons in these northern waters, but 
according to Flower and Lydekker it has not been found south of Biarritz. 
Westwards it is plentiful at times on the coasts of Newfoundland and 
Labrador. 
In habits this species does not appear to differ much from the other 
Rorquals, but it may be distinguished when at the surface of the water 
by the fairly large falcate dorsal fin. 
According to Collett, its food consists of small crustaceans. 
THE LESSER RORQUAL. 
Balcenoptera acuto-rostrata, Lac£pede. 
Plate 44. 
The Lesser Rorqual, also known as the Pike-whale, is distinguished 
from the rest of the Haltenoptera by its much smaller size and also 
by the white band across the upper side of the flippers. It measures 
68 
