NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 35 



up and disappears, when there are "no whales about," the question is fre- 

 quently asked, " where are the whales ?" and as often answered, " they are iu 

 the ice," and " when do you think they will come out ?" " when the ice leaves," 

 It has been established beyond question that this species pass from the At- 

 lantic to the Pacific, or rather, if we may be allowed the expression, from the 

 Atlantic Arctic to the Pacific Arctic, by the north ; and, too, it is equally cer- 

 tain that numerous air holes always exist iu the ice that covers the arctic 

 waters, even in the coldest latitudes. Tiiese fissures are caused by the rise 

 and fall of the tides, aud storms acting upon the water hundreds of miles dis- 

 tant has its influence in rending asunder the icy fetters of those frozen seas. 

 It appears to us not improbable that the Bowhead or Polar Whale has a feed- 

 ing and breeding ground in an open polar sea. And as they have never been 

 seen during the winter months in any other quarter of the globe except as 

 before mentioned, it would appear that they must either remain among the 

 rough water, and broken ice at the southern edge of the winter barrier, or 

 migrate to some remote sea unknown to man. Hence may not the clear water 

 that Kane saw after passing the coldest latitudes as he pressed northward, be 

 the winter home of vast numbers of these gigantic animals ? 



,, Okhotsk Sea Bowheads. 



The pi'eceding remarks have been confined chiefly to the Bowheads of the 

 Arctic iu the vicinity of Behring Strait, north and south. 



The Okhotsk Sea at one time equalled, if not surpassed, the Arctic as a pro- 

 ductive whaling ground. Our memorandum does not state with certainty 

 what year Bowheads were first taken in tlie Okhotsk. It however was not ear- 

 lier than 1847, nor later than 1849.* 



They were found to be easy of capture, and yielded a large amount of oil and 

 bone. Ou making further exploratious the whales appeared in great numbers, 

 and, from the peculiar shape of the head, the spoutholes terminating in a sort 

 of cone, they we're at that time called '• steeple-tops." 



But few years elapsed before a large fleet were pursuing the auimals through- 

 out the whole extent of this vast inland water. 



Tchantar Bay, Taousk and Penjinsk Gulfs soon became noted whaling- 

 grounds, as well as several other points about the coasts. The whales of this 

 sea, as far as known, are the same species as those of the Arctic, although in 

 the bays are found, in addition, a very small whale called the Poggy, which 

 yields but little oil (20 to 25 barrels). f Many whalemen are of the opinion 



* Capt. J. H. Swift, who was cruising iu Behring's Sea about the year 1847, Is quite posi- 

 tive that tlie French ship "Asia" was the first to take Bowheads in the Okhotsk (in 1847). 

 Capt. Roys, of Arctic notoriety (spoken of in this paper), in a recent interview seemed 

 equally certain that the -'Asia" was not the first to take Bowheads in the sea. He thinks 

 none were taken till 1848 or 1840, and that the American ship " Huntsville," Capt. Freeman 

 Smith, was about the first, if not i\\B first, to take Bowheads in that region. 



In justice to both of these experienced and very intelligent whaling masters, it is de- 

 sired to makgjftentioti that I am under much obligation to them for valuable data in rela- 

 tion to several species of eetaeea, more especially as they are regarded as very correct and 

 close observers of the habits ofwhaits. 



t We are convinced that there are two species of Bowheads, which are found on the 

 same ground. The difference from the animal above described is a bun-ch or sort of hump 

 which rises t*orn the top of the small, which is situated about six feet forward of the 

 flukes, aud extending along the top of the back or small two to three feet, aud in some in- 

 dividuals rises in"the highest place about six inches. The accompanying sketch will bet- 

 ter represent the difference in shape, perhaps, than a written description. Capt. Roys says 

 he has frequently taken them in the Arctic as well as in the Okhotsk. They have been 

 frequently taken in the North East Gulf (^Okhotsk sea). Our personal observation was 

 only on a dead one in Tchantar Bay (1SIJ2), and upon that individital the protuberance was 

 so slight that it would not have been noticed unless our particular attention had been 

 called to it. Capt. Randolf. of the American whaleship "South Boston" (18132), informed 

 me at the the time that nearly all the whales he had taken that sea, oain the N. E. Gulf 

 were of that description, and yielded a very large amount of bone in proportion to yield 

 of oil. 



Capt. Roys also mentioned that one season he took numbers of them, and to distinguish 

 them from others they were then called " Bunch Backs." Several whaling masters who 



1869.] 



