220 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



moss, lined with reindeer-hair, and a few horse- and cow-hairs, 

 and very fine fibres. The fibres of the nest under the inclined 

 plane were coarser than those used in the sod bank. 



With regard to the average yield of oil from each species of 

 the BalcBnoptericlce, I made further enquiries this season on the 

 subject, and the general opinion among those whom I consulted 

 was that the estimate published in ' The Zoologist,' 1886, p. 122, 

 is rather a low one ; but in answer to that I would point out that 

 the total yield of oil this year, inclusive of the 4th quality 

 obtained from the krangs by those companies that have guano- 

 factories, is, according to the returns given me, about 29,959 

 petroleum-casks. Calculating the yield from the Whales obtained, 

 even according to this low estimate, the amount would be 28,510 

 petroleum-casks of the first three qualities of oil, and if we add 

 to this, say, 3000 more for the 4th quality oil, the result is much 

 above the actual amount said to have been obtained. But from 

 the differences between the individual results, it seems difficult to 

 arrive at any figures that would give a true average. 



The average boilers in use in the factories hold about 2000 

 gallons; but more than about 1700 gallons of Sptek cannot be 

 boiled in them, and this latter amount produces up to about 

 18 petroleum-casks of oil (say, 750 gallons). 



The following prices offered for baleen about the middle of the 

 season show the relative values per ton in each species ; each 

 plate to be not under 35 centim. long (= 1;3| in.) : — Blue Whale, 

 ^£65 ; Rudolphi's Rorqual, £40 to £Ab ; Common Rorqual, ;£30 ; 

 and Humpback, about £30. 



Some idea of the size of the harpoons used may be gathered 

 from the weight of one. Including the wire grummet, the cord, 

 and spunyarn lashings, but without the shell or whale-line, it 

 scaled 56 kilo, (that is, over 123 lbs.). The cost of each is 80 Kr. 

 (= &i 9s.) as it leaves the blacksmith, and nearly 100 Kr. (more 

 than £5 10s.) when ready for use. In an old volume of the ' Ny 

 illustreret Tidende' (Christiania, May 11, 1884, p. 174i there is 

 some account given of Capt. Svend Foyn and the Finwhaling : it 

 is there stated that the shell-carrying harpoon is said to have cost 

 him 160,0000 Kr. (over £8800), when the various experiments 

 undertaken are included ! 



I have to thank several of the managers whose names are 

 mentioned in the preceding pages for the information they kindly 



