EIGHT WHALES. 269 



witli only occasional gusts of wind from the 

 valleys on the coast. 



We saw two huge Mysticeti, or " right 

 whales," lazily rolling on the surface and 

 blowing sonorously, at one or two miles' dis- 

 tance. They remained so long above water 

 after each dive, that it looked as if there would 

 be no great difficulty in harpooning them, 

 and only our want of proper tackle compelled 

 us reluctantly to abstain from making the ex- 

 periment. 



The sea here swarms with incredible num- 

 bers of minute Medusae, on which these 

 whales were probably feeding when we saw 

 them. These animalculse also seem to be af- 

 fording an inexhaustible banquet to gulls and 

 guillemots by the thousand. The latter are 

 the only things we ever take the lives of with- 

 out intending to make any use of them after- 

 wards ; but they afford such admirable marks 

 for rifle practice, that the slaughter of them is 

 perhaps justifiable, as affording a means to 

 an end. 



It is very amusing to watch the proceedings 

 of the parasitical gulls, of whom two or three 

 species exist here — Lams parasiticus and 

 Larus glaucus ; the latter is called by the 



