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Show 244 MR. R. COLLETT ON BAL/ENOPTERA BOREALIS. [Feb. 2, these examples either no particulars were obtained, or at most a few scanty remarks by casual observers1. In 1882 a whaling-factory was established at borvser near Hammerfest (West Finmark) for the purpose of catching the Blue- Whale (B. sibbaldi), under the management of Capt. Bull. was soon seen that the greater number of the whales caught here were the so-called " Sejhval," a species with which Capt. Bull was acquainted through his former whaling-expeditious in the Varanger-fjord, but in this Fjord, as well as along the whole of the J^ast Finmarken coast, it had only appeared casually. Eight specimens ot this "Sejhval" were caught at Sorvser the first year, 1882, and in the ensuing years it was also taken, though in varying numbers. In 1883 40 specimens 2 were caught, in 1884 only 3, this year (1885) 44. By gradually collecting together the scattered accounts respecting this whale it soon became evident that it was a species distinct from the three other Balaenopterce ; and both Prof. Sars^and I soon came to the conclusion that it might be " B. laliceps," Gray-B. borealis, Lesson, or the same species to which the skeletons just referred to belonged, two or three of which (among the few hitherto known) had been brought from precisely the same region. Last year (1884) Dr. Guldberg, in a paper published in Bull. Acad. Roy. de Belg. \ finally proved by the researches he had been able to make, at Sbrvser, upon some parts of the skeleton (now 1 These specimens are as follows :- 1811. One stranded in the Zuyder-Zee, Aug. 1811 (Eschricht, Kgl D. Vid. Selsk. Skr. 5 R. 1 B.). Length 32'. The skeleton is preserved in tbe Levden Museum. „,,„,„ -in -i. J U 1819. One stranded on the coast of Holstein m Feb. 1819, and described by Rudolphi as B. rostrata (Abh. konigl. Acad. Wiss. Berl. 1820-21, p. £1). Length 32i'. Tbe skeleton is preserved in the Berlin Museum. 1861 A skeleton sent to tbe museum at Brussels from East Finmarken (Norway) through Eschricht (V. Beneden et Gervais, Osteograpbie des Cet. viv. et foss. p. 201). Length 32'. 1861. One stranded, June 1861, in Altenfjord, West Finmarken (Norway). Length of the skeleton 30' 1" (Swed.) [about 29 feet 3* in English- \ H C 1. Described by Lilljeborg (TJps. Univ. Aarsskr. 1862, p. Zo, Sver. och Norg. Ryggr.-djur, B. ii. p. 943,1874). The skeleton is in the Bergen Museum. 1863. One stranded in Skogsvaag, near Bergen (Norway) July 1863. Ine skeleton not preserved. (Dr. Koren in a letter to Prof. Lilljeborg, dated Bergen, Jan. 24,1864.) . 1872. One caught in the Firth of Forth, September 1872, described by Turner (Journ. Anat. Phys. April 1882, p. 471). Length 38' (English). The skeleton is in the Anatomical Museum at Edinburgh. 1874 One stranded in July 1874, at Biarritz (Basses Pyrenees). Length 7830 m m (25' Rben.), and described by Fischer (Compt. Rend. 18/6, torn 83 p 1298, &c). Tbe skeleton is in tbe Bayonne Museum. 1883 One caught on tbe coast of Essex, England ; described by Flower (Proc. Zool. Soc Lond. 1883, p. 513). Length about 29' (Engl.). Skeleton prepared for the Sydney Museum. _ 1884. One taken at Goole, Lincolnshire. Skeleton m British Museum. 2 n fanevtbere is some mistake about this number, and that 15 was the total of this species taken by Capt. Bull in 1883, and that 40 was his total take of all species during that season. -A. H. C.] |