FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. «3, NO. S 



Flcn'REK.-Fivebowhead whales skim feeding in echelon formation. Drawing after a 35 mm photograph and video footage from the air. 



and Burns 1980). The latter are adept at avoiding 

 most sampling gear because of their rapid move- 

 ment. However, bowheads at times collect euphau- 

 siids in very large numbers, despite the bowhead's 

 slow swimming speeds relative to the better known 

 euphausiid predators such as rorquals. Perhaps 



echelon feeding is especially helpful in catching fast- 

 swimming prey such as euphausiids. 



During 1982, little direct evidence for feeding was 

 noted. We saw no skim feeding at the surface, and 

 noticed only nine isolated instances when a whale's 

 mouth appeared to be open slightly. These brief, slight 



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