COMMON WHALE. 
57 
individual that Dr. M‘Donnell alluded to. Portions of the skeleton were 
preserved for a long time at Glenarm Castle. Mr. Templeton, as I learn 
from his journal, saw these in July, 1808, and was told that the animal 
had whalebone in its jaws. He adds that “ the one caught near Larne 
was a young animal of the same species,” alluding, it is presumed, to that 
taken about the last-named year. 
Dr. J. D. Marshall was told at the island of Rathlin in 1834 that the 
B. Mysticetus is occasionally seen in the channel between the island and 
Batty Castle, though of late years very rarely. Part of the skeleton of 
one was then to be seen on the shore of Church Bay in the island. 
Dr. Michael Ferrar recollects that about the year 1810, when he was a 
boy, he was put into the mouth of a whale which was pulled up close to 
the quay at Larne. 
Large whales are not very unfrequently still seen from the more north- 
ern coast of Antrim, but of what species we are ignorant. During a 
period of six weeks in the summer of 1837, one — or what was considered 
to be the same individual — was frequently seen off Drumnasole, though 
sometimes not appearing for a week. 
“ Capture of a Whale. — On Friday sen., while the crew of one of the Dub- 
lin trawlers were fishing off Dunmore, Co. Waterford, they captured a whale 
measuring 36 feet in length and 7~ feet in thickness.” — N. Whig. Aug. 24, 1844. 
The B. mysticetus visits the coasts of Great Britain much less frequently 
than formerly. 
The following paragraphs, respecting the occurrence of whales on the 
coast of Ireland, are taken from the periodical press. 
“Whales on the South-West Coast of Ireland. — Within the last six 
years, several whales have been seen on the Southern and Western parts of 
this and the County of Kerry, one of which ran on shore near Glandore, and an- 
other, found floating at sea, was towed into Crookhaven by a hooker, both pro- 
ducing an average quantity of oil. Whales have visited the coast during the 
summer months, and been frequently seen. On the 29th of last month five of 
them were observed at one time sporting within the circumference of four miles 
of the revenue cutter Badger , when off the Skelligs Rocks. ( Cork Constitution.') ” 
l — N. Whig, May 11, 1850. 
“ A Whale in the Bay of Galway. — For the last few months a whale has 
been disporting his bulky proportions in our bay, to the great destruction of 
its finny inhabitants, and the surprise and terror of our fishermen, who look 
upon their strange visitor as something supernatural. It is probable that this 
monster came to our shores in pursuit of herring shoals, and in company with 
the whale that was captured, some time ago, on the coast of Connemara.” — N. 
Whig, July 24, 1851. 
“ Whales on the West Coast. — As a party of Sligo gentlemen were yacht- 
ing in the early part of the week, in the bays of Sligo and Donegal, they met a 
number of whales in pursuit of herrings and their fry. They were of vast di- 
mensions, and at one time no less than six appeared above water, one, at least 
60 feet in length, being within 50 yards of the Ventura , the yacht which the 
party were in. (Sligo Journal.) ” — Belfast Mercury, Sep. 27, 1851. 
“ On Sunday sen., the carcase of a whale was hauled into Bantry harbour. It 
is supposed it had been killed by a swordfish, as a wound, such as would be 
made by one, was discovered in its belly. Its dimensions are ninety -four feet 
nine inches long, forty-two feet girt ; breadth of tail, twenty-four feet ; length 
of lower jaw, twelve ; breadth between the eyes (one of which is broken by a 
wound), fifteen feet.” — N. Whig, Dec. 23, 1851. 
“A Whale in Bangor Bay, Co. Down. — For more than ten days previous 
to the late stormy weather, a large whale, of about fifty or sixty feet long, and of 
proportionate breadth, has been cruising about in the [Belfast] lough, immediately 
