66 THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 



[WHALES OBSERVED ABOUT NEWFOUNDLAND AND IN THE GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE, 1887-8.] 



" On July 16 eight Humpback whales were seen ; two of them to the south- 

 west of Cape Pine [Newfoundland] ; two between Cape Pine and Cape Race, and 

 four others to the northeast of the latter point. Several whales were seen off 

 Canada Head [Newfoundland] on July 29. A small Finback came into the harbor 

 near the vessel on several occasions while we lay in Canada Bay [Newfoundland], 

 usually making its appearance near sunset. North of Groais Island and Cape Rouge 

 [Newfoundland], on August 3, and between that point and Cape Bauld, Hump- 

 back and Finback whales were seen in abundance. During the afternoon of August 

 10, while off Mingan [Quebec], a number of whales were seen ; their appearance 

 being particularly noticeable on account of their closeness inshore. A Pike whale 

 (Balcenoptera?) was feeding near the vessel in Mingan Harbor on August 14. An 

 attempt was made to capture it ; a bomb-lance was fired at it, but going wide of its 

 mark only frightened the animal so that it soon left the harbor." * 



[WHALES OFF SANTA BARBARA co., CAL.] 



" Whales, chiefly the California Gray, are reported to be numerous off the coast 

 of this county during the winter, when they frequently come close inshore. In 

 summer they migrate northward. None have been captured, however, in recent 

 years, but quite an important shore whale fishery could be prosecuted, as in former 

 years, if the price of oil should advance sufficiently to make the business remunera- 

 tive. The profits might now be materially enhanced by the utilization of the 

 carcasses for the manufacture of fertilizer a product that ought to find a ready sale 

 at good prices." 2 



[WHALES OFF THE COAST OF SAN LUIS OBISPO co., CAL.] 



" Whales appear chiefly in fall and winter, as on other parts of the coast soujth 

 of San Francisco. Four species, the Humpback, California Gray, Finback, and 

 Sulphurbottom, are said to occur, but only Gray whales were taken in 1888. These 

 are about 35 to 40 feet in length, and yield about 25 or 30 barrels of oil." 5 



" The sJwre whale fishery. San Simeon Bay and vicinity and about 'Whalers' 

 Point,' near Port Harford, have been considered the best grounds in this county 

 for whaling. Whales are said to be scarcer than formerly along this section of the 

 coast. It is believed by some of the old fishermen that this scarcity is to some 

 extent due to the presence of steamers on the coast. 



"From 1869 to 1887 a shore whaling station was maintained at Whalers' 

 Point, where, it is said, as many as 30 or 40 whales were taken in the most prosper- 

 ous seasons. But in 1887, the last year of the fishery at this place, only 5 whales 

 were captured. The scarcity of whales, together with the low price of oil, contrib- 

 uted to the abandonment of the station. The whaling company here consisted of 



20 men, who operated 3 boats manned by 6 men each. In 1880 there were 



21 men. 



"A whaling station was established at San Simeon Bay in 1865 by a man who 

 had formerly engaged in this fishery at Monterey, San Diego, and Portuguese Bend. 



1 COLLINS, J. W. and D. E., Report on the Operations of the Fish Com. Schooner Grampus, 

 1887-8. Rept. U. S. Fish Com., 15, 1891, pp. 525-526. 



"COLLINS, J. W., Report on Fisheries of Pacific Coast. Rept. U. S. Fish Com., 16, 1892, 



P- 45- 



' Op. fit., p. 50. 





