92 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS [vOL. 45 



of the water. The real fact is that only the top of the head and a 

 small piece of the back are seen and perhaps the ' flukes,' or, in 

 common English, the tail, may take an occasional sweep in the air." 

 It is much the same with the Newfoundland finbacks. Seen alive in 

 their native element they presented to the eye only a slight hint of 

 that graceful form which was revealed when they were drawn out on 

 the slip at the whaling station. Still, the part seen was that of a 

 living animal, and therefore was possessed of a separate interest from 

 the dead specimens on the slip. While the photographs show 

 little of the whale's form, they do represent with accuracy their ap- 

 pearance in their natural environment, and also give some idea of 

 their actions and attitudes while swimming. 



Among whales, as among other animals, some actions and move- 

 ments are habitual and characteristic, while others are unusual and 

 are repeated only at long intervals or under peculiar circumstances. 

 Nearly all observers who have had frequent opportunities of ob- 

 serving whales agree that many species, such as the humpbacks, 

 indulge at times in strange antics, such as leaping entirely out of 

 the water, rolling from side to side, taking a vertical position, with 

 the head up or the tail up, as the case may be. While the New- 

 foundland finbacks may, and probably do, engage in such perform- 

 ances, nothing of the kind occurred during my observation of them. 

 They appeared singly or by twos or threes, spouting at irregular 

 intervals, but pursuing a quite regular course in a definite direction 

 for a considerable distance. They came up to the surface obliquely 

 to spout, and the top of the head became visible, but was not ele- 

 vated perceptibly above the waves. Then the head sank down, the 

 back came into view gradually from the shoulders backward, exhibit- 

 ing a strong curvature, and finally the dorsal fin appeared, but little 

 or nothing beyond. The flukes were not to be seen in any instance, 

 nor the pectorals, nor the eye, nor any of the underparts. 



The photographs show a number of details not noted at the time 

 they were taken. Indeed, the difficulty of getting the picture itself 

 is so great that one's faculties are entirely absorbed in the proceeding 

 and there is little opportunity for observing particulars. The pitch- 

 ing and rolling of the steamer in the restless waters is very discon- 

 certing, and not less so the fact that the point at which the whale 

 will appear is uncertain and the length of time it will remain in view 

 very brief. I will now describe the several photographs which are 

 here reproduced. Others were taken, but are less satisfactory or less 

 characteristic. 



Plate XXIV, I, shows a very characteristic appearance of a finback 



