1086 MR. dU.TAX OLSEN OX 



" sildehval " (herring whale), because it hunted herrings. But as 

 the colour and size were most like that of the " seihval," they 

 geneially called it so, although they knew that it was not the 

 proper "seihval." 



In Saldanha Bay, where the largest numbers were captui'ed, it 

 was often called " bastard " or " seihval bastard,'' and considered 

 to be a hybrid between the fin-whale and the " seihval," because 

 it had the baleen of the first species, but some other characteristics 

 of the latter. Besides this " bastard," the whalers in Saldanha 

 Bay told me about another variety of " seihval" with exceedingly 

 dark-coloured baleen. It was of somewhat smaller size than the 

 " bastard," quicker in its movements, dived deeper down in the 

 sea, and was more difficult to catch. It was seen in approxi- 

 mately the same numbers all the year round, and in the same 

 localities as the " bastard," but seemed to occur in greater 

 numbers northward of Saldanha Bay than the latter, as proved 

 by Capt. Christofifersen, who had captured it many times 

 outside Paternoster Bay, When the whaling steamers went to 

 Capetown for coaling, these two varieties were often seen in 

 greater numbers together, and the whalers picked out the 

 " bastard " as more valuable and easier to catch. 



Unfortunately, during my stay at Saldanha Bny, not a single 

 specimen of this smaller variety was captured, and it is therefore 

 difficult to say anything about them, but I consider it probable 

 that they are only younger specimens of B. hrydei. 



B. hrydei is as a rule to be found very close to the coast, 

 generally in large numbers, and it is comparatively I'arely found 

 further out to sea. The whalers in Saldanha Bay often found it 

 pursuing fish only a few hundred yards from the beach between 

 Bobben or Dassen Island and the continent. In Dui'ban it was 

 also seen close to the coast (occasionally as far out as 15 miles 

 from shore), but never in company with the small " minkehval " 

 (probably B. acutorostrata, or a subspecies closely akin) nor with 

 other whales. As mentioned above it has occasionally been found 

 60-70 miles from the coast feeding upon Euphausiidse. 



It is most like the fin-whale in its manner of swimming, and 

 can easily be distinguished from the small "minkehval." When 

 coming to the surface to breathe, it may be seen under the water 

 for some time before it appears on the surface. During each 

 such visit it blows four or five times (like the fin- and blue 

 whales, whereas Rudolphi's whale blows only once or twice) 

 before diving down into deep water again. Between these four 

 or five blows it does not go too deep down to be seen from the 

 ship and followed. It blows far more strongly than does 

 B. acutorostrata, and its breath smells worse than that of the 

 other whales. In Durban it was observed to remain for an 

 unusually long time under water between each visit to the 

 surface. It is not seen to take crustaceans in the same peculiar 

 way as Rudolphi's whale {B. borealis). When shot it often swims 



