MU. T. SOUTHWELL ON ANCIENT RECORDS OF CETACEANS. 309 
The writer of this paragraph cut up two of the Whales. The 
dimensions of the largest Whale was as follows : length 62 — , 
depth or diameter from back to belly 18 — , breadth of the tail 
from fork to fork 15 — , length of the under jaw 14 — , which 
contained 43 teeth. The bone to which the tail was annexed, 
measured three feet in circumference, and was cut through with 
a saw. The cavity of the head bone was capacious enough for 
three or four men to sit in. The eyes were not much larger than 
those of an ox, and were placed about 12 feet from the nose. 
The blubber and the spermaceti and oil that was produced from 
the body of this and another Whale 54 feet long, filled 26 beer 
butts, and about 20 Iceland barrels. The great fish was in such 
a state of fermentation and putrefaction that the oil ran out at 
many ruptured parts of his body quite clear and warm as milk 
from the cow.” It will be observed that all the individuals of 
this “ school ” were males. 
As a corollary to the above I may quote the following 
which appeared in the ‘Zoologist’ for 1883, p. 131. “An old 
newspaper of May 17th, 1762 [1763?] states that the ‘spermaceti 
and blubber of the four Whales which were ashore at Birchington 
and Broadstairs were sold last Wednesday for £374 18s., and that 
at Deal for £149, which was much more than was expected.”' 
There is a disparity in the dates, but it is evident that the Whales 
referred to were identical with those mentioned above. I know 
nothing of any subsequent occurrence of this species on the 
Norfolk coast. 
The second entry occurs later on in the same volume, and is in 
the writing of Sir Nicholas le Strange, son of the above, it is as 
follows : — 
Iuly .... 1700 
Whalb or Grampus. 
On the 21* £ day the wind being westerly came 
up on Holm Shore over a g‘ Holm Bridg or 
little more East a Grampus so call 1 * The length of this fish from nose end 
to Tayle ab‘ 25 f*- and ab‘ 16 f l circumference at ye biggest part of The 
Body as near as wee could judg it. It was bruis’d & the Body broken & 
putrifyed when it came up so not knowing where to dispose of it presently 
I sent down a cart w th empty Tubbs and as soon as the Tide fell from it w ch 
was ab‘ 10 at night I sett 5 men to worke took off all the Fatt Skinn from 
that side w ch lay upwards by 4 next morning Then turn’d it over by ye 
help of Hopes & horses, & in the next Tide took off the Fatt from ye other 
side. The manner of cutting up was thus 
VOL VII. 
X 
