53 
If it were not that the rostrated mysticete is a whalebone whale, while 
the beautiful specimen cast ashore at Havre is expressly mentioned as 
possessing neither baleen nor teeth, there would be no difficulty in coming 
to the conclusion, that the two descriptions referred to one and the 
same species: that they do differ in so important a characteristic, while 
assimilating closely in external form, is a remarkable illustration of the 
futility of attempting to classify by outward appearance alone, as well as 
an instance of the numerous subdivisions into which the cetacea may be 
separated. 
The other whale mentioned by Browne, is termed the “ pike-headed.” 
It runs fifty feet or upwards in length; is moderately slender, somewhat 
thick in the forepart; colour black above, and white beneath; head 
moderately large, gradually tapering in form, and ending in a somewhat 
broad or obtuse tip. It is very timid. 
Before going into the consideration of the characters which may be 
deduced from Lieut. Drummond’s account, it is desirable to ascertain 
from the joint impressions of himself and Captain M'Qhae, some definite 
idea of the size of the creature they saw. Captain M‘Q. estimated that 
at least sixty feet of the body were visible a fleur d’eau. Lieut. D., more 
precise, gives a length of ten feet to the head, and a distance of twenty 
thence to the fin, making in all thirty feet visible; supposing the dorsal fin 
to occupy the average position of three-fourths of the whole length of the 
body, reckoned from the anterior extremity, we obtain ten feet more, which 
would give an animal forty feet long: then the characters obtainable from 
Lieut. D.’s statement are these: head flattened, and one-fourth of the 
total estimated length of the animal; snout long and pointed, the upper 
jaw being prolonged; appearance of a neck, at the base of which the 
body is enlarged; a dorsal fin; colour dark above, and dull white below 
the jaw. 
Adopting either Captain M‘Qhae’s or Lieut. Drummond’s estimate of 
dimensions, the size far exceeds that of any known seal, living or dead; 
and the existence of a dorsal fin would, of course, be fatal to the seal 
hypothesis at once; but there is nothing in the above characters or size 
unfavourable to the supposition that the animal seen was one of the 
cetacea—and particularly of those species which appear to be placed be¬ 
tween the whales and the dolphins, claiming affinity with the former in 
respect of size, and with the latter in respect of form and velocity of move¬ 
ment ; and undoubtedly the probability of a rare species of whale being 
seen in the latitude and longitude noted, is much greater than that of an 
