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THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 



of this ocean bore to those of the Atlantic 

 was unknown although some cetologists 

 believed that all the large whales were 

 cosmopolitan, and with this almost un- 

 touched field before us and the unusual 

 facilities which a shore station offers 

 for the study of such huge animals, the 

 time seemed opportune to take up the 

 work in the North Pacific. 



Early in May, 1908, I left for Van- 



more than five or six large whales, one can 

 realize what a wonderful opportunity 

 was presented for the study of a group of 

 animals which, from the standpoint of 

 evolution alone, are among the most 

 interesting in the world. 



The shore stations are located at con- 

 venient points near the feeding grounds 

 of the animals, where the ships can come 

 in each night bringing the day's catch. 



Humpback whale showing tongue. The whale's tongue had been forced out of its mouth by air 

 which was pumped into the body in order to keep the animal afloat. The tongue is a soft flabby mass 

 of tissue which is held in place by the jaw bones 



couver Island and began work there. 

 During the time spent at the stations 

 almost a hundred whales representing 

 four different species were under obser- 

 vation and each specimen was carefully 

 described, measured and photographed. 

 When one stops to think that before 

 shore-whaling began, a naturalist might 

 spend an entire lifetime without seeing 



The whales are anchored at the end of a 

 long inclined platform called the "slip" 

 and the huge carcasses, sometimes weigh- 

 ing seventy tons each, are drawn en- 

 tirely out of the water. By means of his 

 notebook, tape measure and camera the 

 naturalist, if he works quickly, can bring 

 away with him a fairly complete record 

 of the animal's external anatomy before 



