2 THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 



earliest literature relating to the continent. It seemed probable that the investiga- 

 tion of the species themselves and of the records of their distribution could be 

 carried on together and the results in both directions made ready for publication 

 in one work. In this I have been disappointed. The work on the species has 

 occupied a much longer time than was anticipated, and has made it necessary to 

 defer the intimate study of the records of geographical distribution. It has seemed 

 to me desirable, however, to publish with the discussion of the species a summary 

 of the distribution records, so that in case the work originally projected cannot be 

 completed by myself, the time of any subsequent investigator in this field may 

 be economized. 



It happened very opportunely while the study of the American species was in 

 progress that a fishery for Finbacks and Humpbacks, similar to that carried on in 

 Norway for many years, was established in Newfoundland. With the permission 

 of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution I visited this fishery twice, and 

 enjoyed the extraordinary facilities there afforded for the examination of fresh 

 specimens of three species of baleen whales. No similar opportunity has, I believe, 

 been open to American naturalists in the past. 



Not only could the matter of species be investigated under favorable con- 

 ditions, but a good opportunity was afforded for the study of individual variation 

 among these huge animals, whereby the probabilities as to the validity of sundry 

 nominal species could be satisfactorily estimated. The plates published herewith 

 contain many photographic figures of different individuals of the same species, 

 showing the extent of variation in color, form, etc. So far as I am aware, no 

 similar figures from photographs have been published heretofore. 



As nearly every cetologist takes occasion to say, the investigation of animals 

 so large as whales is surrounded with peculiar difficulties. The physical labor 

 involved in examining and turning about the massive bones and other parts is 

 very fatiguing, and the mere weight of the specimens often thwarts the investigator. 



In museums whale skeletons are commonly suspended from the roof so as to 

 be practically inaccessible without the use of ladders and other unwieldy appli- 

 ances, or the bones are stored in dark and dusty corners where they can be studied 

 only with much begriming of note-books, hands, and clothes. 



The size of the whalebone whales, the large expense involved in preparing 

 specimens for scientific purposes, and the large amount of space such specimens 

 occupy, render it improbable that extensive series of specimens will ever be as- 

 sembled as is the practice nowadays with small mammals. Even if skeletons and 

 casts were so assembled, they could not be compared one with another without the 

 greatest difficulty. It follows that the methods of comparison which are employed 

 advantageously in the case of small species can hardly be used here. Reliance 

 must be placed instead on notes and photographs. So far as the exterior is con- 

 cerned, there is a certain compensating advantage no doubt in the direct study of 

 fresh specimens rather than of skins artificially prepared, though this applies only 

 where conditions are at least approximately as good as they are at the Newfound- 

 land stations. Many of the errors with which cetology is encumbered are due 



