482 



ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1913. 



B^desSlephanti 



f^AlcxandraX Mossamedes 

 d'des TigresY 



in 1890, and seven in 1891. Since then some of these whales have 

 been captured from time to time in the North Atlantic. Further- 

 more, in later years a certain number of right whales of other species, 

 regarding which no statistics have been published, have been taken 

 in the South Seas. 



In contrast with the foregoing, finbacks and humpbacks abound 

 in all seas, such as the blue whale (Balcenoptera sihbaldii), the 

 rorqual {B. musculus L.), the Pollack whale [B. horealis), the com- 

 mon humpback {Megaptera nodosa), and many other less well- 

 known species. These cetaceans are at present relentlessly pur- 

 sued for commercial purposes. The finbacks present this special 

 difference from the right whales, that they have only short whale- 

 bone, and consequently less value. By way of compensation, all the 

 other parts furnish remunerative products. The fat of these mam- 

 mals yields a good 

 quantity of oil, and 

 the residue of the dis- 

 tillation , together with 

 the flesh, serve for 

 the manufacture of a 

 " guano " when the 

 carcasses are reduced 

 to a powder. Finally, 

 the meat is used for 

 food. 



This finback whale 

 fishery began 47 years 

 ago on the northern 

 coast of Scandanavia, 

 and was due to the 

 ingenuity of the celebrated Norwegian sailor, Svend Foyn. To the 

 inventive spirit of this man are due the destructive machines now in 

 use, which are boats of 100 to 150 tons, very speedy and carrying at 

 the bow a gun that throws a harpoon to which a line is attached ; in a 

 word, the same system as that of the canon-porte-amarres. With this 

 armament Svend Foyn in 1867 captured his first whale, and in the 

 first year took 30. Less than 15 years afterwards the fortunate in- 

 ventor found himself possessed of more than $2,000,000. Encouraged 

 by this example, companies were organized to exploit this source of 

 profit, to such an extent that in 1887 there were no less than 35 whal- 

 ing vessels on the coast of Finmark — that is, on the portion of the 

 Norwegian coast between Hammerfest and the Eussian frontier. In 

 good years they captured from 1,200 to 1,300 finbacks. Soon, how- 

 ever, the inhabitants of this region made a violent protest against 

 this new industr}'^, Avhich they asserted threatened to ruin them. 



OCEAN 



ATLANTIQUE\ 





B' Saldsnha 



Durban 



''^ossel 



£^^7o^7Zu\G^ 



Fig. 1.— Map of WHALrMO stations in Afeic.v. 



