whaling 257 
lice by the Whalers), and swimming pterepods known as ' whale- 
food ' and ' blackberries.' These creatures in turn feed upon 
minute animal organisms, known as diatoms, which are found 
in countless numbers in these northern waters, where they are 
so numerous as to discolour large areas of the sea, giving it a 
light-green, or a brownish hue. The diatoms are known to be 
propagated in the fresh-water pools upon the large pans of ice, 
and it would appear that they thrive best in the comparatively 
fresh surface-water in the vicinity of melting ice; this may be 
the chief reason for the whales frequenting such localities. 
The whales are known to enter Hudson strait early in the 
spring; they have been captured around Big island in April and 
May, and at the western end of the strait in the latter part of 
May. They then cross to the west side of the bay along the edge 
of the open water, being found in June and early July along 
the land-floe on both sides of the southern part of Roes welcome. 
As the Welcome clears of ice they proceed north to Repulse bay, 
and, still later, pass through Frozen strait into Fox channel. 
late in the autumn they again pass through Hudson strait 
going eastward. By far the greater number of whales taken 
in Hudson bay have been killed in the vicinity of whale point 
near the southern entrance to the welcome. 
Some whales are supposed to remain during the winter in 
the waters of hudson bay, as they have been reported by the 
Eskimos as being seen in the depth of winter off Mansfield and 
some of the more southern islands of the east side of the bay. 
The migration of the whales in Davis strait and baffin bay is 
fairly well known. In March they are found along the edge of 
the land-floe of Cumberland gulf and Frobisher bay, where they 
remain until the beginning of May, when they cross to the 
Greenland coast, and in June are found on the ' middle ground ' 
to the south of Disko. From there they follow the shore ice 
north to Melville bay, and then cross along the southern edge 
