134 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



seem most easily overcome when whales have steerage way, and in fact, pilots know well the nice 

 adjustments of which craft are capable provided they have sufficient way on. Animals so well adapted 

 to the water as whales, which swim for almost every breath, might reasonably be expected to swim for 

 their other essential functions; and the suggestion by Anderson (1746), Pontopiddan (1752), Brown 

 (1868) and Millais (in respect of the dolphin, 1906, p. 220) that cetacea adopt a vertical position, or 

 by Lillie (1910, p. 791) that they make several dashes at one another, seem unlikely both on account 

 of lack of good evidence and on account of the principles noted above. 



Whales with calves were observed on various dates but never seen to suckle. Whether the calf takes 

 the teat between the extremity of the jaws (Scammon, 1874, p. 45) or whether in the corner of the 

 mouth (Haldane, 1906, p. 133) remains an open question, and the way in which the apparently rigid 

 lips are able to take milk to the exclusion of salt water is also an undecided question. 



Whales with calves were usually timid. They were noted on 12 and 23 December, 7, 12, 30 January 

 and 7 February. On 22 January a whale with a very young calf showed an unusual unconcern for the 

 ship and swam close to her; this was an occasion when the whales were judged to be feeding (p. 124). 

 The whale of 7 February was attended by two calves and was brought within range. The mother (?) 

 and one calf were marked (nos. 7348 and 7370 (cow) and 7369 (calf)), but though the family were 

 chased for an hour and a half the second calf got away unmarked. Their rates of blowing for a period 

 of 8 min. are noted in Table 4. 



Intercommunication between whales 



The behaviour of the school leaves no doubt that intercommunication is remarkably efficient, but 

 as to the means nothing is definitely known. The precision with which four and five whales will blow 

 together, and the way in which schools half a mile or so apart readily join up, or when scattered over 

 a very much wider area, coalesce, are instances that may be witnessed every day. The senses of sight, 

 smell, taste and hearing may each have their part. 



Whales in close formation are doubtless able to see each other, for in deep water and at night they 

 probably leave a trail of luminescence behind them, induced in the planktonic organisms. Such 

 luminescence is known to be produced by dolphins but as an effective recognition signal it can hold 

 for only short distances. 



Little is known about the whale's olfactory sense. As regards airborne smell, it is of interest that 

 a whale's breath may be detected at a distance of at least 200 yards to windward, but this may be 

 excluded for purposes of communication because scent is not usually detected on the surface of water. 

 Waterborne smell is a possibility that might affect the whale through some such organ as Jacobsen's 

 organ, or through taste. 



The problem of locating food has application here, for if a sense of smell or the taste buds of the 

 tongue subserve this purpose, they may also enable the whales to trace one another. On the other hand, 

 the presence of food may be detected physically by means of the bristles of the head which have been 

 shown to be highly innervated. 



The hearing of whales is remarkably sensitive. The report of a small charge of gunpowder in open 

 ocean against wind and at a distance of several yards, has put whales beneath water to flight (see also 

 p. 122). Norwegian whalers believe that whales hear the shout of a man in the crow's nest. A sensitive 

 ear or equivalent sense in the bones of the head, implies use and raises the question of what sounds 

 may be produced by whales. 



Their blowing on a calm day can be heard half a mile away, but we do not know whether the noise 

 is transmitted to water. On two occasions the low vibrant quality of the note was accompanied by 

 a higher. An observer on board ship can never be sure that an unusual note coinciding with a whale's 



