Two eighteenth-century strandings of sperm whales ( Physeter macrocephalus) on the Swedish coast.

Strandings and sightings of sperm whales ( Physeter macrocephalus) in Swedish waters are rare. Only two strandings are recorded from the eighteenth century. The oldest of 1718 is not widely known, whilst hitherto the more recent one of 1749 was little known to zoologists. Details are provided of the two strandings, and of two ink-and-wash drawings of the 1749 stranding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]