Records .--! seen on the outer fringe of a pod of 20 fin whales, 94 km ESE 

 Ocean City (38°15'N, 74°00'W), 1 June 1975. 



Minke whales occur throughout the western North Atlantic, but appear to 

 be most numerous north of latitudes 40°N from May to October (Leatherwood et 

 al. 1976). 



SEI WHALE ( Balaenoptera boreal is ) 



Status . --Uncertain. 



Records .— 1, 74 km ESE Ocean City (38°12'N, 74°15'W), 15 August 1976. 



Remarks . — This whale was seen repeatedly at 100-300 m over a period of 

 about 20 min, and was compared directly to several fin whales in the vicinity 

 at the same time. 



Little information is available on the distribution of sei whales in the 

 western North Atlantic (Leatherwood et al. 1976). 



FIN WHALE ( Balaenoptera p hysalus ) 



Status . --Uncommon resident, becoming locally common in spring (mid-April 

 to early June) when Boston mackerel are migrating north. 



Records . --24 positive and 14 probable sightings from 1974 - 1977 (Table 

 5; Fig. 38). 



Remarks . --The average pod of fin whales contained 3-5 individuals; 

 however, pods numbering 20-40 were seen each spring, 1974-1977, near 38° 15'N 

 between the 30 and 40 fathom contours. Associated with these whales on 9 and 

 16 May 1976, and 8 May 1977, were 300-400 saddleback dolphins. 



Fin whales with calves (5.5 - 9 m in length) were often noted during the 

 spring. 



Fin whales are probably the most numerous and widely distributed large 

 species in the western North Atlantic (Leatherwood et al. 1976). 



CALIFORNIA SEA LION ( Zalophus californicus ) 



Status . --Exotic 



Records .--! photographed as it rested on the No. 5 buoy outside the Ocean 

 City Inlet (38°20'N, 75°06,W) on 1 June 1975. 



Remarks . — According to James G. Mead (Personal communication), several Z^. 

 californicus were reported to have escaped from a marine aquarium in Atlantic 

 City, New Jersey, in the early 1970' s. 



55 



