Whale's Jawbones
These jaw bones belong to a member of the groups of whales known
as the Rorquals, which include the Blue Whale, Humpback, Sei Whale,
Minke and Fin Whales. In this case the animal was about 80 feet (25
metres) long and was probably a Fin Whale - Balaenoptera
physalus (also Known as a Common Rorqual).
Rorquals feed by gulping in huge mouthfuls of sea-water and
filtering out plankton with sheets of whalebone or 'baleen'. The
slots where the baleen plates would have fitted into these
jaw-bones can be clearly seen on these - the lower jaws.
Rorquals are migratory, and pass by our shores on their long
journeys.
This individual was found dead, floating in theNorth Seaoff
Hartlepool, Co. Durham in 1901, and was towed ashore. At that time
arches of whale jaw-bones were popular inScotland, so they were set
up at Lainshaw House in Stewarton, over the front gate. In 1921
they were donated to the Dick Institute and have remained here ever
since.
This photograph was given to us courtesy of Stewarton Historical
Society.
Object no :
EAPH706n
Creator :
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Place of Production :
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Location :
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Accession number :
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Copyright :
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