| OCR Text |
Show JH68.J OF THE GREENLAND SEAS. 539 it in his description, I presume that it is placed there through an error of the draughtsman or lithographer. The size of the Greenland Whale has, I think, been a little underrated. The late Dr. Scoresby, from abundant data, considered that we have no record of the Whale to be relied upon which gives a greater length than 60 feet. While agreeing with him so far, that I believe that to be the general extreme average, I am very doubtful whether they did not at one time, before they were so ruthlessly slaughtered, attain a greater size, or that individuals are not even now found of a greater size. The position in which a Whale is measured alongside tbe ship when slightly doubled is apt to introduce an error into the measurement and make it smaller than it really is. The late Chevalier Charles Louis Giesecke mentions one which was killed at Godhavn in Greenland in 1813 which measured 65 feet, and I shall presently give the measurements of one equally large. The largest one, however, which is known to have been killed in the Arctic seas was one which Capt. Alexander Deuchars (whom I have already had occasion to mention as a most trustworthy and experienced whaler, and who is personally acquainted with the killing of upwards of 500 Whales) obtained in Davis Strait in the year 1849. It measured HO feet in length, the breadth of the tail, from tip to tip, being 29 feet; the longest lamina of whalebone measured 14 feet; the amount of whalebone in its mouth was large; but the blubber was only about 6 inches in thickness, and only yielded 27 tuns of oil*. The Whales killed in the Spitzbergen sea are said, as a rule, to be generally less and "lighter-boned" (i. e. less whalebone) than those of Davis Strait, which may possibly account for the less size of those seen by Scoresby, whose whaling-experience was almost wholly confined to the former region. The females are larger and fatter than the males. I append the measurements of one of the largest Whales recently killed in Davis Strait, for which we are indebted to Dr. Robert Goodsir. Measurements of a specimen of Baleena mysticetus killed in Pond's Bay, Davis Strait ( $ ). Length from the fork of the tail, along the abdomen, to tip fc ,lower jaw 65 0 Girth behind swimming-paws 30 0 Breadth of tail, from tip to tip 24 0 Greatest breadth between lower jaws 10 0 Length of head, measured in a line from articulation of lower jaw 21 0 Length of vulva 1 2 From posterior end of vulva to anus 0 6 From anterior end of vulva to umbilicus 8 0 M a m m * placed opposite the anterior third of vulva, and 6 inches from tip of it. * The tun of oil is 252 gallons wine measure ; at a temperature of 60° Fabr. it weighs 1933 lbs. 12 oz. 14 dr. avoirdupois. |
