Richard Lydekker

“ There are four distinct species of this genus in British seas. Firstly, Sibbald’s rorqual, or blue whale (Balaenoptera sibbaldi) , the largest of all animals, attaining a length of 80 or even sometimes 85 ft. Its colour is dark bluish grey, with small whitish spots on the breast; the whalebone is black; the flippers are larger proportionally than in other rorquals, measuring one-seventh of the total length of the body; and the dorsal fin is small and placed far back. This whale has usually 64 vertebrae, of which 16 bear ribs. ”

“ Down to the last quarter of the 19th century it was considered the rarest of the whales of European seas, and was only known from a few individuals stranded on the coasts of northern Europe at long intervals. ”