68 THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 
beneath the surface. Thousands of sea birds were hovering over or around the 
busy scene.” ? 
[FINBACKS AT UNALASKA. | 
“There was a large school of Finback whales feeding in Broad Bay, during the 
day [August 21, 1890], which paid but little attention to us, simply moving out of 
the way or diving under the ship when we approached them. On one occasion the 
same school was seen playing around a whaler, but no attention was paid to them. 
Nothing but merchantable bone will tempt the modern whaleman. We returned 
to port the same evening.” ° 
[san SIMEON BAY WHALING STATION, CALIFORNIA. | 
“ Seven whales were taken during each of the seasons 1888 and 1889. Those 
obtained in 1888 yielded 180 barrels of oil, while 260 barrels were taken from the 
catch of 1889. This difference was due to the larger size of the whales in the latter 
year. Whales frequent this region during the months of December, January, and Feb- 
ruary, but in some years a few are seen as late as the middle of March. Itis during 
these months that the ‘down run’ takes place. The ‘up run’ is of shorter dura- 
tion, lasting as a rule from four to six weeks. While moving south the whales are 
invariably fat, containing 50 per cent. more oil than on the return north. ‘Twenty- 
one men and nine boats are employed at this station during the whaling season. 
Only two men are retained in the summer, to look after the boats and buildings. 
The crew receives a lay of one-fiftieh, the harpooner or shooter (the harpoon being 
fired from a gun) one-sixteenth.” * 
2. Records of the Colonial Shore Whale-fishery. 
The available records of this fishery, which had for its object the capture of 
the Right whale, Balwna glacialis, are scattered through the publications of the 
historical societies of the several States, the published official archives, and various 
State and town histories. The items contained in these records are chiefly of an 
industrial nature, but among them are many bits of natural history. To pick these 
out from the great mass of other material is a time-consuming operation, but may 
on the whole be considered as repaying the effort required. A part of this matter 
has been referred to, or mentioned, in Starbuck’s History of the American Whale 
Fishery,’ and again in Clark’s History of the American Whale Fishery,’ but both 
these works are concerned primarily with industrial matters, and only incidentally 
touch upon the natural history of the whales. The following items from Star- 
buck’s history are of interest in the present connection as indicating the seasons in 
which whales were captured, ete. : 
‘Tanner, Z. L., Report on Investigations of the U. S. Fish Com. Steamer Adbatross, 1889-91. 
Rept. U. S. Fish Com., 17, 1893, p. 226. 
WOpN Ci spy ZA5: Op aci p270- 
“Srarsuck, ALEx., History of the American Whale Fishery, from its earliest inception to the 
year 1876. Rept. U. S. Fish Com., part 4, 1878; Appendix A, pp. 1-768, pls. 1-6. 
* CLark, A. Howarp, History and Present Condition of the Fishery. shertes and Fishery 
Indust. of the U. S., Sect. 5, vol. 2, 1887, 3-218. 
