10 



CETACEANS. 



degree of uncertainty. Captain Feilden is, however, of opinion that no whale 

 could inhabit the frozen sea lying to the north of Robeson Channel, above Baffin 

 Bay, in latitude 82 N., and that none would be found in the neighbourhood of the 

 pole. This species undertakes annual migrations of considerable extent, always 

 travelling northwards in summer as the ice breaks up. Captain Scammon states 

 that " everything tends to prove that Balcena mysticetus is truly an ' ice- whale,' for 

 among the scattered floes, or about the borders of the ice-fields or barriers is its 

 home and feeding-ground. It is true that these animals are pursued in the open 

 water during the summer months, but in no instance have we learned of their 

 being captured south of where winter ice-fields are occasionally met with." 



The huge size of the mouth and the enormous development of 

 the baleen in this species is in correlation with the nature of the 

 food, which is composed mainly of small shrimp-like crustaceans and swimming 

 molluscs belonging to the group known as pteropods; a vast number of such 

 minute creatures being necessary to afford sustenance to an animal of the dimensions 

 of the Greenland whale. When feeding, these whales swim near the surface of the 

 water, with the nostrils and a portion of the middle of the back showing above. 

 Captain Scammon, writing about twenty years ago, says " they are often met with 

 singly in their wanderings ; at other times in pairs or triplets, and scattered over 

 the surface of the water as far as the eye can discern from the masthead. Toward 

 the end of the season they are seen in large numbers, crowded together. These 

 herds are called 'gams,' and they are regarded by experienced whalemen as an 

 indication that the whales will soon leave the ground. Their manner of respira- 

 tion is to blow seven to nine times at a ' rising,' then ' turning flukes ' (elevating 

 them six to eight feet out of the water), they go down and remain twelve or 

 fifteen minutes." Captain Gray states, however, that he has known a whale when 

 harpooned stay under water for fifty minutes. 



There is still some degree of uncertainty as to the breeding-habits of the 

 Greenland whale. Dr. R. Brown states that the pairing-season is from June to 

 August, and that the young are born in the following March, April, and May. 

 Some other writers have, however, considered that the period of gestation is 

 thirteen or fourteen months. The single offspring is believed to be suckled for 

 about a year, during which time the baleen is gradually developed. The affection 

 of the female parent for her young is most intense, and if she be captured there is 

 little difficulty in securing her offspring. 



The Greenland whale is a peaceful and timid animal, and appears never to 

 attack the boats of its pursuers. The accidents which occur in hunting this species 

 are mainly due either to its descending suddenly to great depths when first 

 wounded, whereby the boat may be swamped or dragged under water, or by a too 

 close approach to the animal when in its last terrible death-struggle, or " flurry," as 

 it is called by the whalers. The ordinary speed of a Greenland whale, whether 

 swimming at or below the surface, is estimated by Captain Gray at about four 

 miles an hour, while when the animal is frightened or wounded its rate of progress 

 will be accelerated to about eight miles. 



Whaiin ^^ e Greenland whale has for more than a century been systematic- 



ally hunted by British whalers, whose headquarters are the ports of 



