132 NOTES ON TASMANIAN WHALING, 



"Blach Fish" (Globicejjhalus melas). Pilot or Caaing 

 whale. Not as a rule more than 20 feet in length, and 

 giving 2-3 barrels of dark oil. 



"Killers" (Orca gladiator), giving a clear oil. The 

 only whale whose oil mixes, and is indistinguishable from 

 that of the Sperm whale. Being both fieirce and active, 

 these whales were as a rule not molested by the boat's 

 crews.' 



Mystacoceti. 



"The Right" or "Soutliern Black" {Balcena aiistralis) 

 like the Sperm ranges very widely through the Pacific 

 Ocean. In size up to 80 feet in length and gives 8 - 9 tuns 

 of black oil from the blubber and tongiie. The "Baleen" 

 or Whale bone is a very valuable product from this whale, 

 and as much as 5 cwt has been taken from a large "fish. 

 From June to November Right whales used to frequent 

 certain coasts and inlets to calve, and were taiken by the 

 Bay whalers. To this date at Twofold Bay and Norfolk 

 Island such Bay Whaling Stations exist. 



"Hump Baclx" {Megaptera longimana) gave short 

 whalebone and 6-7 tuns of poor bla,ck oil. A deep sea 

 whale which, though pursued by the American and Sydney 

 ships, was not sought after by those of Hobart Town. 



"Fin Back" {Balcenoptera), frequently sighted froim 

 the ships, gave both whale bono and black oil, but, being 

 difficult to approach and fasten to, was not usually pur- 

 sued. 



"Sulphur Bottom {Balc^noptera australis). A Black 

 Whale which gave black oal and bone. Not as a rule 

 worth taking. 



"Grampus" and "Cow Fish," with other members of 

 the Dolphin tribe, were terms applied loosely, and prob- 

 ably should be classed under the Odontoceti. 



The oil taken was either : — ■ 



(1) Clear Amber colour, as from the "Sperm" and 

 "killer." 



(2) Black or Southern Oil from the "Right" whale, 

 "Humpback, ' etc. 



Both darker in colour and less valuable than that of 

 the "Sperm" whale. 



In ships from Hobart Town the "take" of oil was 

 always measured by the "Tun," in American ships by the 

 Barrel. 



The Royal Kalendar for 1849 states:—! Tun = 8 

 barrels = 252 gals. 



