History of British animals - University of Guam Marine Laboratory

S3 MAMMALIA. CETACEA. Physalis.Burntisland 10th June 1762, and which, in size and other particulars, agreedwith the one which came under his own observation.I have brought these three descriptions together, under the convictionthat they all refer to one species. Hunter, it is true, considers his individualas belonging to the Balcsna rostrata of Fabricius (Faun. Green, p. 40.),but the description there given conveys nothing precise in form or dimensions,except that it is the least of the baleen whales, and itmay not differfrom the Boops of the same author. Fabricius, in describing the last species,states," Rostrum rectum, elongatum magis magisque angustatus, desinenstamen apice satis lato obtusoque. Ante nares in vertice capitis tres ordinesconvexitatum circularium, huic forsan peculiare quid. Maxilla interior superioreparum brevior strictiorque versus superiorem oblique tendens."41Magnitudo ejus interdum 50-54 pedum ;" p.36". These characters indicatea species different from the one described by Sibbald and Neill, and may justifythe adoption of the Balanoptera juLartes of M. Lacepede, characterised ashaving tuberosities near the blow -holes. Sir Charles Giesecke, in the articleGreenland (Edin. Encyc. vol. x. p. 490.), states that the B. Boops comesregularly to the coast about the end of July. It " is a smaller kind of whale,its length being from 20 to 25 feet. It has a fin on its back, and also a protuberancewhich grows towards the " tail." The whalebones of this speciesrarely exceed the length of one foot." Are we to rely on the size in thedetermination of the species, and consider the B. rostrata as a distinct specieslimited to 25 feet in length, and represented by the rostrata of Fabricius andHunter, and the loops of Giesecke? Future observers may determine thepoint.Both the B. musculus and boops may be considei'ed as regular inhabitantsof our seas. On the 20th August 1822, I observed an individual of the latterspecies at Longhope, Orkney.Gen. XXX. PHYSALIS. Razor-Back.—Skin destituteof pectoralfolds.47. P. vulgaris.— Length reaching to a hundred feet.Balsena Physalis, Fab. Fauna Gr. p. 35 Walker's Essays, p. 528 BakenopteraGibbar, Scoresby, Arc. i.Reg. 478.According to Fabricius, the length of the baleen does not exceed a foot. Itswims swiftly, and is with difficulty captured. Mr Scorseby states that hehas made several ineffectual attempts to secure this species. The animal,when exerting its energies, dives and swims with such rapidity as to defythe ingenuity of the whaler. He states, from report, that it has been found105 feet in length, and 38 in cirfumference ;" head small when comparedwith that of the common whale; fins long and narrow; tail 12 feet broad,finely formed ; whalebone 4 feet in length, thick, bristly, and narrow ; blubber(> or 8 inches thick, of indifferent quality ; colour bluish-black on the back,and bluish. grey on the belly skin smooth, ;excepting about the sides of thethorax, where longitudinal ruga; or sulci occur." From his own observation,he states, that " it seldom lies quietly on the surface of the water whenblowing, but usually has a velocity of four or five miles an hour; and whenit descends, it very rarely throws its tail in the air, which is a very generalpractice with the mystketus.The individual mentioned by Sibbald (Phail. p. 84.) as having come ashoreat Boyne in Banffshire, probably belonged to this species. It was 80 feetin length, exclusive of the tail. Dr Walker states, that this species sometimescomes ashore on the Island of Lewis. It is, however, in all probability,only a straggler.Relics of a whale, of a large size, and probably belonging to Balanopterammcnlus, or to the preceding species, occur in the marine diluvium of the Forth.1