Note on the Capture of a Whale at Deptford.
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Fin-backed whale, (Balænoptera boops.)
On the afternoon of Sunday, the 23rd of October last, a whale was seen slowly floating down the river near Deptford pier. Some of the watermen put off in a boat, and one, armed with a spear, struck the intruder, which caused him instantly to spout up streams of water through his blowers. It however soon became evident that the poor creature was in too exhausted a state either to escape or make any resistance, and a number of other boats gathering round, he was got alongside the pier without much difficulty, and subsequently, by the aid of ropes, hoisted on the platform, where he was received by such a concourse of visitors that the assistance of the police was called in to preserve the peace. On Monday morning the whale was removed to the premises of the Bull and Butcher public-house, and notice of the capture having been sent to the British Museum, Mr. Gray, the principal zoological officer of that establishment, went down to Deptford to examine him. That gentleman, with his accustomed kindness and zeal in diffusing information on every branch of Natural History, has furnished the Editor of 'The Zoologist' with an outline sketch, made by himself on the spot, together with the following description and admeasurements.
The whale was of a blackish lead colour, dorsal fin and lips of the same colour as the back; chin and under parts of the body below the pectoral fins white; there was also a large white spot on each pectoral flapper, occupying nearly half of its upper outer side. The blowers were situated over the eyes; they were linear, rather diverging, and valvular like the nostrils of a seal; each blower was 5½ inches long, and there was a deep groove between them 7 inches long. The
