180 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [14] 
the capelan and the whale. There are no reliable facts to show that 
the approach of the capelan schools is influenced to any great degree 
either by the pursuing whales or by the cod, or by flocks of birds; but 
there is every reason to suppose that only physical and meteorological 
conditions determine the course of the capelan while near the shore. 
(3.) The species of whales which follows the schools of capelan seems 
to be almost exclusively the so-called “ Fin-whale,” which I have found 
to be identical with the Balenoptera musculus, the same which generally 
makes its appearance during the spring-herring fisheries. The so-called 
‘‘bIne-whale,” on the other hand, makes its appearance later, hardly 
before the middle of May, and does not live on capelan, but on pelagian 
animals of a lower class, particularly small crustaceans. Ihave already 
had occasion to show that this species of whales, which forms the prin- 
cipal object of Foyn’s fisheries, has absolutely nothing to do with the 
capelan, and the investigations made by me during the present year 
fully corroborate this statement. Of other whales, the Megaptera beops 
occasionally makes its appearance, but only later in spring. Shortly 
before setting out on my return journey I had occasion to examine a 
specimen of this kind which had been captured by Foyn’s men. A 
thorough examination of the contents of its stomach showed that this 
species of whale, like the “ blue-whale,” lives exclusively on lower pela- 
gian animals, especially small crustaceans. Finally, a fourth species 
of whales is known in these regions, the so-called 4 coal-fish-whale,” 
which takes its name from the circumstance that it does not appear in 
any considerable number until the approach of the coal-fish. As this 
whale only reaches a comparatively small size, it is not caught. Ihave, 
however, obtained a tolerably close view of it at sea, which convinced 
me that it is the so-called “ Vadge-whale,” well known on our western 
coast. It lives principally on small herring, but it must be supposed 
that in these northern latitudes it also, to some extent, feeds on cap- 
elan. The three last-mentioned species of whales are seen near the 
coast, and in the Varanger-fiord, long after the capelan have disap- 
peared. The “ Fin-whale,” on the other hand, leaves the coast with the 
capelan, and also arrives with it. It must, therefore, be considered as 
the ‘“‘capelan-whale” proper. Although, as has been said above, the 
‘“‘blue-whale” forms the principal object of TFoyn’s fisheries, several 
‘‘Fin-whales” have been caught during the last few years, as the whale- 
fisheries commence before the “blue-whale” comes near the coast. 
During the present year, as far as known, 15 “ Fin-whales” have been 
caught by Foyn’s men. The stomachs of those which I examined were 
completely filled with capelan, and some were even found in the mouth, 
the whale evidently not having had time to swallow them. 
(4.) To the question, ‘Can a considerable decrease in the number of 
whales be noticed on the coast of Finmark?” my experience compels 
me to return a negative answer. The schools of capelan are still followed 
by numerous whales, and the reports on the capelan-fisheries, year after 
