MAMMALS OF BERMUDA. 153 



It is more than probable that this whale rarely proceeds farther south 

 in the West Atlantic than the latitude of the Bermudas, and that it pos- 

 sibly visits those islands merely for the purpose of bringing forth its 

 young; a theory not unsupported by fact, when we find that the majority 

 of whales taken consist of females and cubs. 



Family PHYSETERID^. 



Physeter macrocephalus, L. 



Sperm Whale; Spermaceti Whale; Trompe Whale. 



This species can hardly be considered as more than a casual visitant 

 to Bermudian waters, for it is only at intervals of a few years that the 

 islanders have the good fortune to capture one. 



The first authentic account we have of this species being found at 

 the Bermudas is in the "Constitucons and Instructions to Mr. Daniel 

 Tucker now chosen Deputie Gounor for the Somer Islands given by the 

 Gouenor and Companie of the Cittye of London for the said Planta- 

 con" (Date ICIG). 



" Theise kind of whales we understand by theire description wch have 

 seen them are called Trompe Whales, at whose places of resort there is 

 ever found greate store of Ambergreece, the oyle will be as hard as tal- 

 lowe, when yt is made, but yet very good for many uses, lett yt be care- 

 fully casked up by ytself, without any other whale oyle of other kinds 

 to be mixed with it. Also that kind of whale yieldeth great store of 

 Spermacety wch lyeth in the head, lett that also be carefully reserved 

 by ytself, and put into Caske marked for Spermaceti whither yt be thin 

 or thicke, we will trye it and refine yt when yt shall come hither and doe 

 well observe that puttinge up the oyle the coopers may make the caske 

 very tight, for leakedge by putting Bullrushes into the ioynts, for wch 

 vse we have sent hence store by theise shipps. 



"Those Trompe Whales are observed to have noefins in their throats 

 as some other small whales have, but they have in some of theire inward 

 pts great store of Ambergreece congealed, wch they have not as yet 

 cast out, we pray that you have a care that when any whale is opened 

 you would yourselfc attend or cause some other to see yt searched 

 thoroughly, that neither by negligence or fraud we may be deprived of 

 that hope." 



Of late years very few have been taken. One in May, 1863, of the 

 goodly length of 47 feet was captured, and again on June 19, 1869, an- 



