58 PROCEEDINGS OE THE ACADEMY OF 



Strain not so prolonged. Sometimes tliey gambol about vessels as do por- 

 poises. We know of only one instance, however, which was in Tchantar Bay, 

 during calm weather, in August, 1862. All our efforts to capture one proved 

 fruitless. We learned from the natives that they were less shy about the 

 mouths of rivers, where they resort frequently during the warm season, and 

 even ascend into fresh water where the depths permit. Only one chance of 

 getting a view of the animal was in the water close alongside the ship, and it 

 answered to the description of those found in the Arctic Ocean, the head and 

 neck appearing much smaller in proportion than that of any other species of 

 the Dolphin family. Their length may average ten feet, color white or yellow- 

 ish white. 



THE BLACKFISH. 

 Globiocephalus scammonii Cope. 

 The Blackfish is found wherever sperm whales are, but in many instances 

 they congregate in much larger numbers, and are nearer to the coast than the 

 regular feeding grounds of the latter. 



Although subsisting almost entirely on the same kind of food, the "squid," 

 still, at times, when they visit bays or lagoons, they prey upon small fish found 

 there. In Magdalena Bay we have seen them in small schools, appearing as 

 much at home miles from sea as the Porpoise or Cowfish. 



They are seen in schools of from ten or twenty to hundreds, going along 

 with less of the rising and falling movement than the Porpoise, and usually 

 spouting eight or ten times before " going down." If moving quickly much of 

 the head and body is exposed. When seen by whalemen in this wise they call 

 it going " eye out." In low latitudes, during perfectly calm weather, it is not 

 unfrequent to find them lying quite still, huddled together promiscuously, mak- 

 ing no spout, and seemingly taking a rest. 



The l-lth December, 1862, on the coast of Lower California, in lat. 31°, land 

 ten miles ofl^, a school of Blackfish were "raised." We lowered the boats and 

 gave chase ; three were taken. The largest was measured accurately, and the 

 dimensions were as follows : 



Ft. In. 



Length 15 6 



Depth of body 3 6 



Circumference of body B 9 



Breadth of flukes , 3 6 



Depth of flukes 10 



Distance from end of head to spoutholes 1 6 



" " eye 1 4 



'■ " dorsal fin 4 6 



Length of pectorals 2 10 



Distance from end of head to pectorals 2 9 



Extreme width of pectorals 1 



Length of mouth 1 4 



" dorsal fin along the back 2 



Extreme length of dorsal fin, upper edge 2 4 



" width " 1 



Distance from flukes to arms 5 



" " abdomen 6 



Length of spouthole across the head 4 



The accompanying sketch exhibits the proportions of the animal. Its 

 color is black. The profile of head shows its shape laterally, and the spout- 

 hole, which is of a half circular shape, opening like a valve when the spout 

 ascends, closing as it escapes. The jet is not visible above two or three feet, 

 and rises perpendicularly when not affected by the wind. The number of teeth 

 on each side of the upper jaw varies from ten to twelve, in the lower jaw from 

 eight to ten ; the exposed parts one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch long. 



[April, 



