FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 635 



OT-BACKS ANP SULPHUR-BOTTOMS. 



Several species of the genera Balcenoptera, Sibbaldius, and Physalvs 

 occur on the east and west coasts of the United States, but so far as 

 their habits are concerned, are but imperfectly known. They are so 

 swift in their movements as to be rarely captured by the fishermen, and 

 most of the specimens in the museums are those of stranded animals. 



HUMP-BACKS AND RIGHT WHALES. 



The Atlantic Hump-back Whale, Megaptera hoops (or M. osphyia, 

 Cope), is doubtless the commonest Baleen Whale of onr shores. It fre- 

 quently enters the harbor of Provincetown, Massachusetts, but not so 

 commonly as in former years. There is a small fishery for these ani- 

 mals in the Gulf of Maine, which has proved somewhat successful. The 

 Hump-back of the Pacific, M. versabilis, is reported by Scammon to per- 

 form regular migrations, going far into South America. Tbey occur off 

 the coast of California, but not in great abundance. 



The Black Whale, Balcena biscayensis, is believed to have been the 

 object of a very considerable fishery in the early colonial times, but has 

 disappeared entirely for many years. Its reoccurrence has been re- 

 corded by Dr. Holder. It appears to range along the entire east coast 

 of the United States. 



I am informed by my friend, Dr. Manigault, that his statement of 

 the abundance of this species off the coast of South Carolina* was due 

 to a misunderstanding. The species referred to is probably a Megap- 

 tera. 



* Bull. Amer. Museum Nat. History, 1, No. 4, 1883, p. 104. 



