56 



PBOCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



Iffina Whales resort, and about islands and rocks that are the breeding places 

 of seals; consequently their feeding ground is as vast as that of the Hump- 

 back. 



Their average length is about twenty feet for the males and fifteen for the 

 females, a long dorsal fin distinguishing them from all others of the Dolphin 

 tribe, as well as the shape of their head, which is more pointed than that of 

 the Blackfish, and with a still shorter beak than in the common Porpoise. 

 Their color is black or black with streaks of white on the forward part of the 

 sides from near the eye, extending as far as the end of the back fin in some cases. 

 A greater portion of the belly is almost invariably white in the females. We 

 never have seen but one of the species dead (a female, fifteen feet long, which 

 answers to the above description). The back fin, on account of its extraordi- 

 nary length, gives tiie fish a very singular appearance when moving along in 

 its usual manner. It measures six feet or more with the larger males, who 

 maj^ always be known by the extremity' of the fin turning over on one side as 

 represented in the accompanying illustration. This protuberance vibrating in 

 the air as the animal rolls to and fro or makes its tumbles over the waves, ap- 

 pears as though it was a great burden and required much effort for the animal 

 to keep right side up. But from what we have observed in different latitudes 

 we are inclined to the opinion that there must be more than one species of 

 Killer on the Pacific coast. Those about the shores of California to all ap- 

 pearance are rather slender animals, with a long dorsal fin of dagger shape 

 projecting from the back about one third of the distance between the extreme 

 end of the head and the "flukes.'" The covering of fat on the one that was 

 taken did not exceed three-fourths of an inch in average thickness, and was 

 very white. The yield of oil was one and a half barrels, and nearly as clear 

 as spring water. 



Although diminutive in size compared with the different species of whales, 

 they prey upon them all, except the Cachalot, the lips and tongues of the ani- 

 mals often affording them a bountiful repast. These Killers may be not in- 

 aptly styled the cannibals among the whale kind, being the only species that 

 destroys individuals of their own race to afford them food. It is a most sur- 

 prising sight to witness three or four Killers about a whale. The sight of them 

 before making any attack seems to nearly paralyze the huge monster, who 

 frequently remains nearly stationarj', submitting to the attacks of its enemies 

 on either hand, and making little if any resistance. 



The mode of attack is to keep about the whale's head, seizing it by the lips, 

 hauling it under water, and it is said to eat out the tongue. We once saw the 

 attack made by three of these voracious animals on a " cow and calf," in a la- 

 goon on the coast of Lower California. The whale was of the species known 

 as the California Gray, and her young one was grown to three times the bulk 

 of the largest Killer. The three made the attack, which lasted for an hour or 

 more, alternately on the old whale and her offspring, finally killing the calf, 

 which sunk to the bottom where there were about five fathoms depth. During 

 the melee the mother became nearly exhausted, having received several 

 wounds about the lips. As soon as the prey was on the bottom the Killers de- 

 scended, bringing up large pieces of the flesh, and devoured it after coming to 

 the surface. While gorging themselves in this manner the old whale made 

 her escape. The scene took place within about two hundred yards of the ves- 

 sel, our observations being made from the deck, and during the time the 

 whales and killers kept nearly a stationary position. Instances have been 

 known where Killers have attacked whales that had been killed by whalemen, 

 and were being towed to the ship, in so determined a manner that, notwith- 

 standing they were frequently lanced, or cut with a bow spade, they took the 

 animal from its human captors and hauled it under water out of sight. But 

 the Killer does not always live on whales. For several seasons we had noticed 

 them about the seal islands along the coast, and came to the conclusion that 

 they subsisted on the fish found around the edge of the kelp. By chance, 



[April, 



