FISHKHIKS (>{■• ALASKA, liHtS. 67 



srniy, streaked Avith Mack. A fair (luantily of oil i« secured from 

 (his whale. In respiration the vaporous breatli of tlie animal passes 

 (luickly through its spiracles, the high, narrow spout dissolving very 

 slowly, and wIumi a fresh supjily of air is drawn in a sharp and some- 

 what musical sound is made, which may be heard at a considerable 

 distance and is quite distinguishable from sounds made by other 

 whales of the same genus. The finbacks are very erratic in their 

 movements and the fishery consequently uncertain. 



The humpback, the commonest species caught by the sh(;re 

 whalers, is one of the rorf{uals that roam througli every ocean, gen- 

 erally preferring to feed and perform its uncouth gambols near the 

 coast. Short and of ungainly bulk, the humpback is equipped with 

 flippers and flukes seemingly out of all proportion to its body when 

 compared with the other cetaceans, the flukes often measuring 25 

 feet across. Its under jaw extends forward considerably beyond 

 the upper one. The top of its head is dotted with irregular, rounded 

 bunches, which rise about 1 inch above the surface, each covering 

 nearly 4 square inches of space. The color is black above and white 

 underneath. Marine parasites in the form of verj'' large barnacles 

 are always found upon it in numbers. 



The himipback delights in frequenting bays and estuaries along 

 the coast, often going great distances from the open ocean. Its slow 

 motion and other habits render it easy of approach and capture as 

 compared with any of the others. The average length is about 35 

 feet, 50 feet being a large specimen. The baleen is black and short. 

 The production of oil varies more than in all other whales. Scam- 

 mon reports having ''seen individuals which yielded but 8 or 10 

 barrels of oil and others as much as 75, the length of the animal 

 varj'ing from 25 to 75 feet. Most of these variations may be attribu- 

 ted to age and sex, as the female with a large cub becomes quite 

 destitute of fat in her covering."" Whalemen distinguish this 

 mammal at a considerable distance by its undulating movements. 



According to vScammon (p. 45): 



In the mating season they are noted for their amorous antics. At such times their 

 caresses are of the most amusing and novel character, and these performances have 

 doubtless given rise to the fabulous tales of the swordfish and thrasher attacking whales. 

 When lying by the side of each other, the megaptoras frequently administer alternate 

 blows with their long fins, which love pats may, on a still day, be heard at a distance 

 of miles. They also rub each other with these same huge and flexible arms, rolling 

 occasionally from side to side, and indulging in other gambols which can be easier 

 imagined than described. 



The different species described above all have very small throats, 

 I heir moutlis being fitted with baleen, the fine upper edges of which 



" The marine mammals of the northweeteru coast of North America, by Charles M. 

 Scammon. -ito, 1874, p. 42. 



