278 ALLEN: NEW ENGLAND WHALEBONE WHALES. 



porting in the water near the Maddequet Life Saving Station, Nantucket, within a stone's 

 throw from shore" about the 10th of November (Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror, vol. 85, 

 no. 22, Nov. 19, 1904). From its small size and its coming so close inshore, it may perhaps 

 have been the present species. 



1905. — About the 10th of March a specimen became stranded in Provincetown Harbor 

 and was captured by men of the Life Saving Station. A highly colored account of the occur- 

 rence appeared in the Boston Sunday Post, March 26, 1905. The skeleton of this whale was 

 secured for the U. S. National Museum. 



What may have been an individual of the same species was reported to have run aground 

 in shallow water in the western part of Provincetown Harbor about the first of February, 

 where it was dispatched by men from the Wood End Life Saving Station (Nantucket Inquirer 

 and Mirror, vol. 85, no. 32, Feb. 4, 1905). Its length was given as 25 or 30 feet, but apart 

 from its small size there is no other evidence as to its identity. 



1909. — A small specimen, measuring about 14^ feet in length was taken in the fish traps 

 at Provincetown on August 21st, and a cast of it secured by the Boston Society of Natural 

 History. Later, it was partially embalmed and exhibited in Winthrop. The skull, sUghtly 

 damaged, was eventually secured by the Society. I am indebted to 'Mr. J. Henry Blake for 

 the measurements of this specimen. 



1910. — On May 18th, a small specimen, measuring but 12? feet in length entered one of 

 the fish traps at South Truro, Mass., and was killed by the fishermen when they visited the net 

 in the morning. It was reported as a "baby Finback," but Mr. D. C. StuU of Provincetown, 

 in response to my inquiries, has given me a brief account of its characteristic markings wliich 

 leaves no doubt as to its identity. The carcass was later towed out to sea. 



A second whale of this species, measuring 15 feet 3 inches in length, was caught in the same 

 trap on the Truro shore, June 25th. I was informed of its capture by Mr. Stull and through 

 his kindness was enabled to measure and photograph it at Provincetown three days later. The 

 skeleton was secured for the Museum of Comparative Zoologj^. A view of the ventral surface 

 of this whale is shown in Plate 13, fig. 2. 



I am indebted to Mr. J. Henry Blake for the record of a third specimen which was killed 

 at Provincetown on August 14th. A few days previously what was probably this individual 

 entered a fish weir at the western end of Provincetown Harbor, but was turned out again by the 

 fishermen. Shortly after it entered a weir in the eastern part of the Harbor and was killed 

 with a knife. Mr. Blake has kindly given me the measurements he took of this whale, and 

 from it he has also drawn the excellent figure here published (Plate 14). 



1911. — What was undoubtedly a whale of this species was captured in one of the fish 

 traps at Provincetown in June, 1911. As the fishermen could make no use of it they set it free 

 again. Mr. J. Henry Blake, who reported to me this occurrence, adds that the men called it a 

 "young Finback." 



