SHIPS ATTACKED BY WHALES 



draw out its flukes when sounding, while a finback 

 never does. Each one ascends obliquely, delivering the 

 spout as soon as its head appears at the surface, and 

 each slowly revolves, lifting its body high out of the 

 water as it goes down. But the finback is more regu- 



A finback whale "sounding" or taking the "big dive." 



lar in its movements when traveling than is its larger 

 relative. Then it will swim as straight as an arrow, 

 not varying a quarter of a point from its course, and 

 blow at regular intervals. 



The blue whale, even when not frightened, spouts 

 very irregularly. Under ordinary circumstances it 

 will blow from eight to fifteen times at a rising and 

 always with a tremendous noise. The sound is a me- 



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