I 
120 TRANSACTIONS OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
BAL^ENOPTERA EOSTRATA. 
BY F. H. BALKWILL, L.D.S. 
(Read 5th April, 1888.) 
On May 16th, 1887, a fisherman reported that one of the 
trawlers had taken " an enormous fish with its mouth full of 
hair." Concluding that his description indicated a young whale- 
bone whale of some species, I proceeded to the Barbican, and 
found the animal lying on the deck of the Lowestoft fishing- 
smack Bluebell. It proved to be a young female Lesser Rorqual 
(Balcenoptera rostrata), which had been captured, rolled up in a 
drift-net, sixty miles south-west of the Scilly Isles. It was in 
perfect condition, the glistening white of the belly and plicae 
being quite beautiful. 
The animal was exhibited about the town for a day or two on a 
pony-cart, when I acquired the head, in order to make a skull for 
our Museum. The following are the dimensions : 
BALJENOPTERA ROSTRATA (YOUNG FEMALE). 
Entire length, following curve of body 
ft. 
12 
in. 
n 
Length of gape . . ... 
3 
i 
Width across lower jaw . . . . 
1 
n 
Length of eye, which was at angle of mouth 
0 
H 
Length from point of snout to insertion of flipper . 
3 
4 
Length of flipper . . ... 
1 
10 
Width of flipper . . ... 
0 
6 
Length from point of snout to dorsal fin . . . 
6 
4 
Height of dorsal fin . ... 
0 
8 
Width of dorsal fin . ... 
0 
8 
Width of caudal fin . . . . 
3 
1 
Length from point of snout to blowholes . 
1 
8 
Length of blowholes, which were two longitudinal slits 
close together each side of median line 
0 
4 
The flippers had the white transverse band characteristic of 
this species. Weight estimated about 15 cwt. The' skull, which 
is nearly finished, I am preparing for the Museum. 1 
1 Where it is now placed. 
