RORQUAL OF THE SOUTHERN SEAS. 149 



these unwieldy animals, of forty feet in length, some- 

 times fairly leapt into the air, and dropt down again 

 with a heavy fall. The prodigious quantity of 

 power required to raise such a vast creature out of 

 the water is astonishing, and their peculiar economy 

 cannot hut give room to much reflection." (Cook's 

 in Kerr's Voyages, xv. 4.) 



Though not without some hesitation, yet we are 

 inclined to believe that this is the species which hy 

 the southern whalers is denominated the black fish 

 or black whale, and which most frequently they are 

 solicitous to avoid. It is this whale which Captain 

 Colnett states that he saw, in innumerable shoals, 

 on the shores of California. ( Voy. to the S. Pacific.) 



One other of the habits of this species we shall 

 mention. The black fish, of all other whales, most 

 frequently place themselves in a perpendicular posi- 

 tion, with the head only above water, presenting in 

 this position a most extraordinary appearance when 

 seen from a distance, resembling large black rocks in 

 the midst of the ocean; this posture they seem to 

 assume for the purpose of surveying more perfectly, 

 or more easily, the surrounding expanse. (Beale.) 



The southern seas supply the appropriate food of 

 these whales in the richest luxuriance. Thus, 

 M. Lesson, who spent a considerable time in these 

 latitudes, states, that the whale does not so much 

 seek its food as its food seeks it. The sea is often 

 very rough, and the height and violence of the 

 waves is such, that the spray in breaking over the 

 vessel brings along with it great quantities of medusa 



