100 



These gentle animals, when excited into a state of confusion and 

 alarm, are highly characterized by an overpowering instinct which 

 compels them to follow any leader without reference to age or 

 experience, although by so doing they are led into certain danger. 



The nature of this impulsive force may be familiarly exemplified by 

 the similar habit entertained by sheep : thus, when a flock is required 

 to enter into any strange place of confinement, or to pass along the 

 narrow stage in order to reach the deck of a vessel, it is necessary that 

 one of them be caught and slowly dragged to its destination, the louder 

 the bleating the better, when the whole lot will precipitately follow ; 

 so, with this species, if one individual be wounded and take the ground, 

 the others will blindly rush on to their fate ; or, rather, as in the 

 method of stranding a shoal, " the men engaged in the hunt, at first 

 succeeded in stranding only one of the young cubs ; it immediately set 

 up loud cries, which were heard by the rest, and an old one, probably 

 its mother, speedily came to its relief ; but she came not alone, the 

 whole flock followed, and were thus made an easy prey." 



G-LOBIOCEPHALTJS MACRO RHYNCHus, 1 Gray. The South Sea Black-fish. 



Synonyms Globiocephalusmacrorhynchus, Gray, S.&W. p. 320; Suppl. 

 p. 84. 



Black-fish of the South Sea Whalers, Bennett, "Wh. Voy. 

 p. 233 ; Crowther, P.Z.S., 1864. 



Teeth |^, subcylindrical, variable in number. 



Colour, black. Length, from 16 to 20 feet. " Head, thick, square, 

 and short ; the snout blunt, and but little prominent. The angles of 

 the lips are curved upwards, giving the physiognomy an innocent, 

 smiling expression." Bennett, "Whaling Voyage, p. 233. 



The museum skulls of this species correspond closely in every 

 characteristic formation and in size with the particulars given of those 

 of the G. melas, and I feel incapable to point out any salient 

 character by which to separate the species. 



These animals are abundant in our seas, and, according to Mr. 

 Bennett, roam about the ocean in very large troops, and appear to 

 inhabit the greater portion of the aqueous globe, uninfluenced by the 

 remoteness or vicinity of the land. He observed examples in many 

 parallels of latitude between the equator and 50 N. and 35 S., in the 

 central part of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as off the 

 coast of California, and in the Indian Archipelago. " Sperm whalers," 

 continues Mr. Bennett, " often attack this species with their boats, in 

 order to obtain a supply of oil for ship consumption j some risk, however, 

 attends their capture, for when harpooned, they will sometimes leap 

 into a boat. A Blackfish of average size will produce from 30 to 35 

 gallons of oil, which in its most recent state has a dark colour and 

 an unpleasant odour." 



t broad, and f>vyx*> beak. 



