HUNTING THE SEA OTTER. 123 



favour the opinion that they essentially differed from the 

 two species already described. They were perfectly 

 indifferent to the boats, under which they sometimes dived 

 so close as to cause considerable apprehension, for the 

 stake-like fin threatened to shiver our timbers. Whether 

 these whales have a patch of white behind the head, or 

 whether they swim sometimes belly uppermost, it was 

 impossible to say, but a large patch of white could be 

 distinctly seen as they passed underneath the boats. Four 

 of these animals, with twice that number of " humpbacks," 

 were swimming backwards and forwards in the little bay at 

 Gull Island on June I4th, when it was full of sand-eels. 

 There was then no sign of fear on the part of the " hump- 

 backs," and no sign of aggression on that of the others. 

 As these " humpbacks " have not been mentioned before, it 

 may be stated that they are of great size, from forty-five to 

 fifty feet in length, and that their name, Longimana 

 (long-handed), has been given to them from the unusual 

 size of the pectoral fin, which, in a full-grown specimen, 

 measures fourteen feet. 



The fourth species is a much larger animal than any 

 other of the orcas, how much larger it would be difficult to 

 say, but, taking as a criterion of length the extent of body 

 uncovered as it rolled over the surface and comparing it 

 with other whales whose length we know under similar 

 conditions, it could not have been less than forty feet long ; 

 its dorsal fin is quite eight or even ten feet high. On a 

 clear, calm day, to see the huge, spiky fin of one of these 

 creatures describe a complete semicircle against the horizon 

 was a curious sight, and one not easily to be forgotten. 



With wind and weather, sea and sky all favourable, and 

 last, but by no means least, otters fairly plentiful, it is not 

 to be wondered at that we secured six full-grown otters 

 and a pup ; the last was skinned without delay when we 

 got on board, and made into a very appetising curry. 

 Tender as a spring chicken, the only drawback to a delicate 

 stomach being the remembrance of a strong and rather 



