64 
MAMMALIA. 
fresh.). The Roman Catholic fishermen of the coast pronounced 
it first chop beef. The Maldives and Seychelles are said to he the 
head- quarters of the whalers who pursue these gigantic 
Cetaceans.” 
A species much better known to naturalists is the Great Northern 
Rorqual (. Phy sains antiquorum, Fig. 18, p. 60), which attains to as 
huge a magnitude as the one already noticed. A specimen of it was 
found floating on the sea in a decomposed state on the 20th October, 
1831, in Plymouth Sound, which is stated to have been 102 feet 
long, and 75 feet in circumference, but most likely (remarks Dr. 
Gray), the abdominal cavity was distended by internal decomposi- 
tion, which the great longitudinal plaits of the skin of the lower 
parts would permit to a considerable extent. Two others have been 
observed, which measured 105 feet. One of them was found dead, 
as mentioned by Scoresby, in Davis’s Straits ; and Captain Clarke 
measured the skeleton of one near the Columbia River, which 
extended to that length.* This animal is the Razor-back of the 
whalers ; and though occasionally observed in temperate latitudes, 
it is much more numerous further north, occurring in great 
numbers in the Arctic Seas, especially along the edge of the ice 
between Cherie Island and Nova Zembla, and also near the island 
of Jan Meyen. It is seldom seen amongst much ice, and seems to 
be avoided by the Greenland or Right Whale ; and the whalers 
therefore view its appearance with concern. In the Spitzbergen 
quarter it inhabits most* generally the parallel of from 70° to 76° ; 
but in summer, when the sea is open, it advances to the northward 
as high as 80° of latitude. 
The Northern Rorqual swims with a velocity at the greatest of 
about twelve miles an hour. It is by no means a timid animal, 
and usually does not appear to be mischievously disposed. When 
closely pursued by boats it manifests little fear, and does not 
attempt to outstrip them in the race, but merely endeavours to 
avoid them by diving and changing its direction. If harpooned, 
or otherwise wounded, it then exerts all its energies, and escapes 
with increased velocity, so that it is much more difficult to 
capture than the Right Whale, being also more dangerous to attack, 
and much less valuable when killed, as it yields a comparatively 
small supply of oil. 
* Travels to the Missouri, by Captains Lewis and Clark, p. 422. 
