1894- NOTES AND COMMENTS. 85 



might be expected to further the more abundant supply of these 

 dainties. The efforts of the Association in breeding and protecting 

 these and other food-fishes, backed by legislation against their un- 

 necessary destruction, will unquestionably improve our fisheries ; but 

 there is a need for increased financial support — the total income being 

 at present only £2,igg, as against ;^70,ooo which the United States 

 Fish Commission gets from the American Government. 



Natural History as a Recreation for Sailors. 



We have mentioned the aid that laymen can render to Science, 

 and few of them have better opportunities for observing natural 

 phenomena and natural objects than they that go down to the sea in 

 ships. And yet we have often been surprised at the small amount 

 of collecting and observing that is done by Naval men in comparison 

 with their brothers of the Army, although in distant parts of the 

 world both alike have time on their hands and freedom to use it. Of 

 course, we do not now refer to those special exploring expeditions like 

 those of the " Challenger " and the " Blake " in recent years, or the 

 long-sustained explorations of the French in the early part of the 

 century, but to the private collection that is or might be done 

 by those stationed abroad ; and India in particular comes to our 

 memory. We are therefore glad to see, in the Nautical Magazine for 

 May, a short paper with the title that we have placed at the head of this 

 note. It is written by Captain D, Wilson-Barker, who, as captain 

 of the training-ship " Worcester," has excellent opportunities of 

 instilling into the young mind some appreciation of the beauties and 

 interests of marine animals and plants ; and it is to be hoped that 

 our future race of seamen will be more prolific in collectors than that 

 of the past has been. 



We are especially interested in one paragraph in this paper, and 

 that is the following : — " It is curious to see the particular whale 

 which frequents this coast [Brazil] , and has very long pectoral fins, 

 gambolHng about, waving high in the air those long fins, which, in 

 the distance, gHsten like gigantic sword-blades." In our March 

 number, it will be remembered, Mr. Lydekker gave an account of a 

 whale-fight off the same coast. Captain Wilson-Barker says, in a 

 letter he has been good enough to send us, that he had an opportunity 

 of observing these whales for eight months while repairing cables off 

 Brazil. He says the pectoral fins, which nearly reach twenty feet 

 in length, are constantly mistaken for threshers; the outer surface, in 

 common [with the whole upper part of the whale is black ; the 

 inner surface, in common with the belly, is a glistening white. He 

 therefore suggests that the distinct colouring of the inner and outer 

 surfaces of the fin, alternately exposed during the gambolhng of the 

 whale seen by Mr. Lydekker, would give the impression of there 

 being two distinct animals. And this interesting note seems to carry 

 conviction. 



