214 ALLEN: NEW ENGLAND WHALEBONE WHALES. 



a number were killed by three steamers engaged in their pursuit. These were Finbacks, in 

 large part at least (W. A. Wilcox: BuU. U. S. Fish Comm., 1886, vol. 6, p. 201). 



1887. — "Whales" are reported near Nantucket on two occasions, but no indication of 

 the species is given. Three were reported by the Nantucket Lightship crew about April 15th, 

 and shortly after a large whale was seen from Siasconset (Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror, 

 vol. 67, no. 42, Apl. 16, 1887; Nantucket Journal, vol. 9, no. 29, Apl. 21, 1887). 



1888. — "Whales" were sporting in the waters off Surfside, Nantucket, about April 20th, 

 and although the Tuckernuck whalers came to attempt a capture, they were unsuccessful 

 (Nantucket Journal, vol. 10, no. 30, Apl. 26, 1888). No indication of the species is given, but 

 presumably they were Finbacks. 



About June 5th, the steam whaler A. B. Nicker son fell in with a school of ten or more 

 Finbacks off Cape Cod and killed a large one which sank at once after being shot (Nantucket 

 Journal, vol. 10, no. 36, June 7, 1888). 



1889. — The Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror of June 22d (vol. 69, no. 51) notes that 

 "whales are reported numerous on the coast." No doubt this refers mainly to Finbacks. 



About the 5th of August, a Finback was seen off Martha's Vineyard (Nantucket Journal, 

 vol. 11, no. 44, Aug. 8, 1889). 



1890. — About the last of April, a dead Finback was discovered floating near Egg Rock, 

 by Swampscott fishermen, who towed it into Deer Cove, Lynn. It had been shot by a Province- 

 town whaler, and had sunk, to rise to the surface a few days later, much distended by gases 

 (Nantucket Journal, vol. 12, no. 31, May 1, 1890). 



1892. — About September 15th, a Fmback Whale was seen spouting off Surfside, Nantucket 

 (Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror, vol. 73, no. 12, Sept. 17, 1892). 



1894. — A large Finback is reported killed off the "Gully" on September 12th by Capt. 

 E. W. Smith of Provincetown (Boston Daily Globe, Apl. 3, 1895). 



A small Finback was seen in the waters back of the Nantucket Harbor bar about the 

 20th of April. It may have been of this species (Nantucket Journal, vol. 16, no. 30, Apl. 26, 

 1894). 



A school of Finbacks is reported off Cape Cod during late September. At least one or 

 two were killed by whalers from Provincetown. The Nantucket Journal (vol. 16, no. 52, 

 Oct. 4, 1894) notes that sharks had partially eaten one of those recovered. 



1895. — The first Finback of the season was killed in Massachusetts Bay April 12th by 

 Capt. E. W. Smith of Provincetown (Provincetown Beacon). 



Diu-ing a few days previous to May 10th, five were killed by the Provincetown whaler 

 A . B. Nickerson in the neighboring waters, and two or three more were captured at the same 

 time by other parties. 



Under date of December 30th, Keeper McLaughhn writes that "for ten days a large school 



