632 FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



•within the last two centuries, history plainly testifies. During fi <• sev- 

 enteenth century shore whaling was carried on from Massachusetts to 

 Virginia and southward, and the abundance of Cetaceans is evidenced 

 by the innumerable disputes which arose regarding stranded animals 

 or " drift fish." By the middle of the eighteenth century, on account of 

 the vigor with which the fishery was prosecuted, the Whales seem to 

 have kept off shore, near the edge of the Gulf Stream. Soon afterwards 

 the whalemen found it necessary to go farther from port. They went 

 northward to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Straits of Belle Isle, and 

 southward to the West Indies and Brazil, and extending their voyages 

 year by year, it was not long before they had visited all waters of ihe 

 globe. 



On the Pacific coast there have been similar changes. The migra- 

 tions of the Whales have been over different courses in an interrupted 

 and much more irregular fashion than formerly. 



D0LPHIHS. 



Dolphins of three distinct genera, Delphinus, Tursiops, and Lageno- 

 rhynchus, are of not infrequent occurrence on both coasts of the United 

 States. The common Dolphin, J), delphis, is taken from time to time, 

 but does not appear to be particularly abundant, and has not been def- 

 initely reported south of New England. Baird's Dolphin, D. Bairdii, 

 is hot uncommon on the coast of California, but is not known to occur 

 off Alaska. The species of Lagenorhynchus, known as the Skunk Por- 

 poise, L. perspicillatus, is very common off New England and much 

 farther north, especially about the fishing-banks, and this or a similar 

 species occurs as far south as North Carolina. Schools of them some- 

 times strand on Cape Cod. A similar species, L. obliquidensj is common 

 in the bays and harbors of California. The Bottlenosed Dolphins of 

 the genus Tursiops appear to be the most common Cetaceans on the 

 Atlantic coast. Numerous specimens have been taken at different lo- 

 calities between New York and Virginia. The Cow-fish of California, 

 T. GiHii, has been commented upon by Scammon. It keeps well to the 

 southward, and is sluggish and uncertain in its movements. 



PORPOISES. 



Two apparently distinct species of Porpoises, P. brachyeion and P. 

 lineata, are common in our Atlantic harbors along the entire coast. One 

 of these species, though I have been unable as yet to determine which, 

 ascends the larger rivers for a very considerable distance. Both these 

 animals and the common Pacific Porpoise, P. vomerina, are esteemed by 

 the Indians as dainties, and are pursued by them with considerable 

 vigor. Like the eastern species the Pacific Porpoise has a wide range, 

 extending at least from the Columbia River to Pigiuto River, Mexico. 



The Atlantic Porpoise was formerly the object of a considerable fish- 



