has been seen almost in every sea and is commonly the whale whose distant jet is so often descried by passengers crossing the Atlantic, in the New York packet-tracks.  这种鲸几乎在各大海洋都可以见到,并且也是很普通的一种鲸,它那长距离的喷水就经常为坐在纽约邮船横渡大西洋的旅客们所老远地发现的。

In the length he attains, and in his baleen, the Fin-back resembles the right whale, but is of a less portly girth, and a lighter color, approaching to olive.  按照它的身长和鲸须说来,脊鳍鲸与露脊鲸相仿,不过,它的腰围不那么肥大,色泽稍淡,近于棕榄色。

His great lips present a cable-like aspect, formed by the intertwisting, slanting folds of large wrinkles.  它的大嘴,由于有着交错。歪斜的大皱结,样子很象一根锚链。

His grand distinguishing feature, the fin, from which he derives his name, is often a conspicuous object.  它那硕大非凡的体躯,它那由此而得名的大鳍,往往就是个显眼目标。

This fin is some three or four feet long, growing vertically from the hinder part of the back, of an angular shape, and with a very sharp pointed end.  那大鳍约有三四英尺长,垂直地长在背上的后部,成一种角形,而且有个很尖的顶峰。

Even if not the slightest other part of the creature be visible, this isolated fin will, at times, be seen plainly projecting from the surface. 即使在这家伙的其它最细小部分也看不到的时候,也往往能够很清楚地看到耸出海面的那只孤零零的大鳍来。

When the sea is moderately calm, and slightly marked with spherical ripples, and this gnomon-like fin stands up and casts shadows upon the wrinkled surface,  每当海面相当平静,微露圆形的涟漪,而这只竖起的日晷似的大鳍,在微波的海面上投下一阵阴影的这个时候,那个围着大鳍的水圈,

it may well be supposed that the watery circle surrounding it somewhat resembles a dial, with its style and wavy hour-lines graved on it.  很可以说有点象只日晷,它有日晷针,又有刻在上面的水波微展的指针。

On that Ahaz-dial the shadow often goes back.  在那只亚哈斯的日晷上,阴影往往是在后边。

The Fin-Back is not gregarious.  脊鳍鲸是不爱群居的。