MODERN FIN-WHALING 179 



They seem to have no regular mating season, but the young 

 are born during the summer months. " In the mating season," 

 says Captain Scammon, " they are noted for their amorous 

 antics. At such times their caresses are of the most amusing 

 and novel character, and these performances have doubtless 

 given rise to the fabulous tales of the sword-fish and thrasher 

 attacking whales. When lying by the side of each other, 

 the Megapteras frequently administer alternate blows with 

 their long fins, which love-pats may, on a still day, be heard 

 at a distance of miles. They also rub each other with the 

 same huge and flexible arms, rolling occasionally from side 

 to side, and indulging in other gambols which can easier be 

 imagined than described. The time of gestation is not known, 

 but in all probability it is the same as that of other large 

 cetaceans, not exceeding ten or twelve months. The calf 

 when brought forth, is about one-fourth the length of the 

 dam ; and it suckles by holding the teat between the extremity 

 of the jaws or lips, while the mother reclines a little on one 

 side, raising the posterior portion of her form nearly out of 

 the water, and lying in a relaxed condition. This peculiar 

 manner of suckling the young appears to be common to all 

 the whalebone whales. 



When the whales first arrive on the Finmark coast the 

 Humpbacks are the only species of the large whales which 

 will voluntarily come into shallow water. They do so, so 

 say the Fin-whalers, to rub their heads and pectorals against 

 the rocks so as to free them from the barnacles which at 

 this season seem to cause them great annoyance. Captains 

 Castberg and Nilsen state that they have seen the Hump- 

 back rubbing their heads against rocks so close in shore 

 that a stone could have been thrown upon their backs. At 

 this season, too, they have often been observed dozing on 



