Sep., 1889. the fin whale fishery in north lapland. 
199 
blood, which flows in great streams from the whale’s body. 
These are the more unpleasant details, and I will not enlarge 
upon them further. 
The town of Vardo is situated on a small island, and 
boasts of two whaling “factories,” while others are built 
upon the mainland opposite. It is often difficult to cross 
over to the mainland, as the sound is frequently rough, and 
impassable to such cranky little tubs as one can borrow ; 
though the waves break verv little during the whaling season, 
because of the film of oil, escaped from the factories, which 
overlies the whole. 
Besides the stations at Vardo we visited one at Yeretiki, on 
the Murman coast, to the north of the Kola Peninsula; but 
here, unfortunately, owing to the lateness of our arrival, no 
whales were brought in during our brief stav of two and a 
U O 1/ 
half days. 
It may be well, before describing the methods of capture, 
&c., to give a brief account of the different species of “Fin 
Whales ” which are the objects of pursuit in these regions. 
The “ Whalebone Whales ” are divided into two groups : 
I. The Balcenulce or “ Right Whales,” including two northern 
species, the “Greenland Whale,” and the “Atlantic” or 
“ Biscayan Whale.” These have no dorsal fin, the skin of 
the belly is smooth, the rostrum of the skull is compressed 
and rounded, and the rami of the lower jaw are strongly 
arched outwards, the baleen is very long, the flippers are 
short. The Greenland Whale averages 50ft. to 60ft. in 
length, the Biscayan somewhat less. II. The Balamopteridcc, 
including the “ Humpbacked Whale,” and the Rorquals or 
“Fin Whales.” It is with these that I have to deal, as the 
whales regularly hunted off these coasts all belong to this 
group. 
The group is divided into two genera : 
A. — Megapterct , containing the species M. hoops 
frequenting these coasts. Norwegian, “Knob” 
B. — Balamoptera, including the following local 
species: 
1. — B. musculus , the Common Rorqual or 
“Razorback,” the “ Fin lival ” of the Nor¬ 
wegian whalers. 
2. — B. Sibbaldii , Sibbald’s Rorqual or “Blue 
Whale.” Norwegian, “ Blaa lival.” 
3. — B. borealis , Rudolphi’s Rorqual. Norwegian, 
“ Sej lival.” 
4. — B. rostrata , Lesser Rorqual. Norwegian, 
“ Vaage lival.” 
