266 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



HUMP-BACK. WHALE SUCKLING HER YOUNG. 



sauce is made of the entrails, and the Eskimo clogs feast on the flesh. Since 1851 a system of 

 coast and bay whaling has been profitably pursued by the Americans along the Californian shores. 

 At first 1,000 Whales would daily pass the outlook stations, though not a tenth part are now seen, 

 so great has been the havoc and so shy of the land and whale-boats have the Californian Greys 

 become. In calm weather these Whales will lie motionless for an hour or so on the surface of the 

 water, but they nevertheless seem to delight in clashing and splashing among the surf and breakers. 

 At other tunes they huddle together in shoal water, almost getting aground, while their young swim 

 freely about in sportive play. The dam's attachment to her offspring is very great, and hence lagoon 

 whaling is most dangerous. Casualties are of constant occurrence in these narrow passages, the old 

 Whale in her frenzy dashing her head against the boats, and lashing all around with her tail-flukes ; 

 hence the sailors call them " Devil-fish," and " Hard-head," while " Mussel-digger " is applied to 

 them from their habit of probing among the mud. They often roam among the seaweed-banks, 

 where the whaler shoots them with the hai-poon-gun, as he lies in wait in a small boat or sailing 

 craft. Thus this piebald Whale runs every chance of early extinction, seeing that whether in warm 

 or cold latitudes, it is relentlessly pursued by its dire enemy man. 



THE FIN -WHALES, OR RORQUALS,* as a group, vary exceedingly in size. Although at times of 

 great dimensions, they are not so bulky in form and unwieldy as the foregoing whalebone groups. 

 Their elongate bodies, smaller-mouthed heads, shorter baleen, plaited throats, and relatively narrow and 

 small flippers, with a dorsal fin behind the middle of the back, high laterally-compressed tail-root, and 

 separate neck-bones, besides other osteological characters, distinguish them sharply from the preceding. 

 The amount of blubber and baleen in these Whales being exceedingly limited, coupled with their 

 great muscular activity, restless disposition, difficulty and danger of approach, causes them to be 

 seldom hunted. Their capture in fact is not remunerative. As a consequence, their numbers 

 in some districts are considerable though scattered ; even off British coasts certain species create 



* Balcenoptera ; ^i.Xana, a whale, and TTTCPOI', fin. 



