
The Blue Whale 249
Norwegian specimen, given by Mr. Cocks, is that of a female, 88 ft. 7 i°- l°ng-
Dr. True, speaking of Newfoundland examples, works out the average length of
fifty-seven males as 70 ft. 8 in., and thirty-five females, 70 feet; and of twenty-five
specimens, mostly measured by himself, taken in the summer months, he gives the
following statistics, comparing them with 104 Norwegian specimens.
Number and proportion
Length
Region
of sexes
Males Females Length of
Total Males I Females Maximum Average Maximum Average
ft. in. ft. in. f t in. f t in.
Norway . 104 47 I 57 I 85 5 75 4 88 7 77 0 36 x 24 in.
Newfoundland . 25 10 | 15 72 7 68 3 72 2 68 9 23-32 in.
From this he deduces that the Blue Whales of Norway are larger than those of
the western seas. The whalers are all agreed, however, that the species is identical
on both sides of the Atlantic, and that Dr. True took his measurements in summer
when the biggest Whales had a ll departed} If Dr. True had had more statistics to
rely upon, based on examples captured in the early months of the year, I feel
sure that he would have found that this Whale is similar both in colouring, except
for individual variation, and length on both sides of the Atlantic. The same remark
applies to his observations on the Finbacks.
With reference to recently killed British examples, twenty-seven bulls and
fifteen cows were killed near the Buneveneader Station in Harris in 1904, according
to Mr. R. Haldane.2 The bulls averaged 697 feet, the cows 69 3 feet. The largest
bull was 74 feet, the largest cow 75 feet. In 1905 eighteen bulls averaged 70-2 feet,
and thirteen cows 7 1 6 feet.
‘ The average girth,’ says Mr. Haldane, ‘ given at Buneveneader was 3 17 feet in
both sexes. This varies greatly, a cow of 79 feet being 40 feet in girth; cow of
78 feet, 41 feet; cow of 75 feet, 40 feet; cow of 80 feet, 38 feet. The bulls range
from one of 75x41 feet, 77x41, 88x38, 80x42 to one of 59X17 feet.
‘ These figures are of interest, as they show that in length and girth Blue
Whales are larger than Finners. The greatest girth of one of the latter given in
my notes was 40 feet.’
1 Captain Nilsen of S t Lawrence, who has probably killed more Blue Whales than any other hunter, tells me that he
never saw a really big Blaa-hval after May i. * Ann. Scot. Nat. H ist 1906, p. 135.
VOL. III. K K