364 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



as the larger whales do; they roll up and exhale either less strongly 

 or with less water over the blow-hole than their larger relatives. 

 They merely send a mist into the air which can not be seen at a dis- 

 tance of a thousand yards, while the " blowing " of the larger whales 

 may be seen for miles. Half a century ago we boys were taught 

 by the text-books that the whale there was only one mentioned 

 drew in water through its mouth, strained out the jellyfishes and 

 other life, and then ejected the water, after the manner of a fire 

 engine, through the top of its head. That this nostril, equipped with 

 the best water-tight valve ever invented, enabled an air-breathing 

 mammal to exhale and inhale, without getting much water into its 

 lungs, we never suspected. If we thought about it at all we looked 

 at the whale as a fish, having gills somewhere, and let it go at that. 

 As our laws speak of " whale fisheries " and " seal fisheries " in con- 

 nection with these great aquatic mammals, it would be just as correct 

 to speak of all animals which frequent the water as " fishes," and 

 legislate on the " muskrat fisheries," " mink fisheries," etc. ; there is 

 really no difference. 



I have seen newspaper reports that about thirty years ago a white 

 whale, brought there by a Mr. Cutting, lived in captivity in Boston 

 for two years. Beyond the fact that one was brought there by a 

 Mr. Cutting, and was on exhibition about that time, is all that I have 

 been able to learn, and it is doubtful if it lived one year (see Fisheries 

 Industries, section 1, page 19). One was exhibited at Barnum's old 

 museum, at Broadway and Ann Street, New York, that is said to 

 have lived nine months and was then burned up when that building 

 burned, in March, 1868. As these animals only come into the St. 

 Lawrence, where all live ones have been captured, in May and June, 

 there is no reason to doubt that it did live in confinement for nine 

 months, but none that have been exhibited since that time have sur- 

 vived more than half as long, and I have had personal knowledge of 

 every one since Barnum's. 



Coup's Broadway Aquarium opened on October 11, 1876 too 

 late to get a white whale that year. But early next spring Mr. Coup 

 sent his brother to the St. Lawrence River for specimens. This 

 brother, " Zach.," had never seen a whale, but he had full instruc- 

 tions concerning their care from Professor Butler, who had charge 

 of the one at Barnum's Museum. There was an air of mystery 

 about he expedition, and in May " Zach." brought a solitary speci- 

 men and at once went for more. The town was billed, the daily 

 press was worked in true circus fashion, the crowd came and ex- 

 pressed various opinions. Standing by the tank, I heard strange 

 comments: 



" Do you call that little thing a whale? " This to an attendant. 



