-sj 



68 THE WHALEBONE WHALES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. 



beneath the surface. Thousands of sea birds were hovering over or around the 

 busy scene." ' 



[FINBACKS AT UNALASKA.] 



"There was a large school of Finback whales feeding in Broad Bay, during the 

 day [August 21, 1890], which paid but little attention to us, simply moving out of 

 the way or diving under the ship when we approached them. On one occasion the 

 same school was seen playing around a whaler, but no attention was paid to them. 

 Nothing but merchantable bone will tempt the modern whaleman. We returned 

 to port the same evening." ' 



^ [SAN SIMEON BAY WHALING STATION, CALIFORNIA.] 



"Seven whales were taken during each of the seasons 1888 and 1889. Those 

 obtained in 1888 yielded 180 barrels of oil, while 260 barrels were taken from the 

 catch of 1889. This difference was due to the larger size of the whales in the latter 

 year. Whales frequent this region during the months of December, January, and Feb- 

 ruary, but in some years a few are seen as late as the middle of March. Itisdurino' 

 these months that the ' down run ' takes place. The ' up run ' is of shorter dura- 

 tion, lasting as a rule from four to six weeks. While moving south the whales are 

 invariably fat, containing 50 per cent, more oil than on the return north. Twenty- 

 one men and nine boats are employed at this station during the whaling season. 

 Only two men are retained in the summer, to look after the boats and buildings. 

 The crew receives a lay of one-fiftieh, the harpooner or shooter (the harpoon bein^ 

 fired from a gun) one-sixteenth." 3 



2. Records of the Colonial /Shore Whale-fishery. 



The available records of this fishery, which had for its object the capture of 

 the Right whale, Balcena gladalis, are scattered through the publications of the 

 historical societies of the several States, the published official archives, and various 

 State and town histories. The items contained in these records are chiefly of an 

 industrial nature, but among them are many bits of natural history. To pick these 

 out from the great mass of other material is a time-consuming operation, but may 

 on the whole be considered as repaying the effort required. A part of this matter 

 has been referred to, or mentioned, in Starbuck's History of the American Whale 

 Fishery, 4 and again in Clark's History of the American Whale Fishery, 5 but both 

 these works are concerned primarily with industrial matters, and only incidentally 

 touch upon the natural history of the whales. The following items from Star- 

 buck's history are of interest in the present connection as indicating the seasons in 

 which whales were captured, etc. : 



1 TANNER, Z. L., Report on Investigations of the U. S. Fish Com. Steamer Albatross, 1889-91. 

 Rept. U. S. Fish Com., 17, 1893, p. 226. 



3 Op. fit., p. 245. O p. fit., p. 279. 



4 STARBUCK, ALEX., History of the American Whale Fishery, from its earliest inception to the 

 year 1876. Rept. U. S. Fish Com., part 4, 1878 ; Appendix A, pp. 1-768, pis. 1-6. 



' CLARK, A. HOWARD, History and Present Condition of the Fishery. Fisheries and Fishery 

 Indust. of the U. S., Sect. 5, vol. 2, 1887, 3-218. 



