The American Museum Journal 



Vol. IX FEBRUARY, 1909 No. 2 



A SUMMER WITH THE PACIFIC COAST WHALERS. 



THE recent estal)lishment of .several .shore-whaling .station.s on 

 the coasts of Vancouver Island and Alaska, has made possible 

 a study of certain species of the large whales inhabiting the 

 North Pacific Ocean. With the exception of a .single work, "Marine 

 Mammalia," written by Captain C. M. Scammon in 1874, these 

 animals have remained almost unknown scientifically, and their rela- 

 tionship to the corresponding Atlantic forms, which have been carefully 

 investigated by Dr. F. W. True, has never been satisfactorily determined. 

 To secure data for a comparative study of the external and o.steoIogical 

 characters of these whales, I left New York late in April on a Museiun 

 expedition to the west coast whaling stations. 



The species commonly taken there are the Humpback, Sulphur- 

 bottom and Finl^ack, the first-named in largest numbers. All belong to 

 the group known as Finwhales, having .short, coarse baleen or "whale- 

 bone" and thin blubber. Before the invention of the harpoon gun in 

 1864, they were seldom hunted, because the comparatively small }ield 

 of oil and whalebone and the great speed of the animals in the water, 

 together with their tendency to .sink when killed, rendered them persona 

 non grata to the men in the small boat. To-day, however, they are 

 l)eing taken at a rate which threatens their speedy extinction. 



The .study of whales is beset with many and unusual difficulties. 

 Their great size, alone, is a .serious olxstacle. If one wishes to do such an 

 ordinary thing as to turn over a fin for observation of the color or mark- 

 ings of the other side, he must have the assistance of not only one man 

 but several. Thus the naturalist is totally dependent for the success of 

 his studies upon the men about him, in fact, they make or ruin his work 

 by their attitude toward it. 



Fortunately, I met with most courteous treatment from the owners 

 of the stations, and my thanks are due to the Pacific Whaling Company 

 and Dr. Ilismuller of Victoria, B. C, and to Captain I. N. Hibbard of 



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