MAMMALS OF BERMUDA. 147 
Family BALAANIDA. 
EUBALZNA CISARCTICA, and others. 
Common Whale. Right Whale. Cape Whale. Hump-back, de. 
The Right Whale is the only species which may be called a regular 
migrant to the shores of the Bermudas, and its occurrence there opens 
up a very interesting source of inquiry as to whether the individuals 
annually visiting the islands really come from the north and return 
thither, or merely pass their existence in mid-Atlantic, and resort for 
some reason to the group with their young during the months of Feb- 
ruary, March, April, May, and June. 
Now, first as to the identification of this species with that so often 
mentioned by early writers. In the Philosophical Transactions (Royal 
Society of London) for 1668 appears a communication from Richard 
Norwood, who was the first person to survey the islands and divide 
them into shares. It is dated— 
‘‘ BERMUDA, June 18, 1667. 
“The killing of whales, it hath been formerly attempted in vain, but 
within these two or three years, in the spring time and fair weather, 
they take sometimes one, two, or three in a day. They are less, I hear, 
than those in Greenland, but more quick and lively; so that if they be 
struck in deep water they presently make into the deep with such vio- 
lence that the boat is in danger of being haled down after them if they 
cut not the rope in time. Therefore they usually strike them in shoal 
water. They have very good boats for that purpose, manned with six 
oars, such as they can row forwards or backwards as occasion requir- 
eth. They row up gently to the whale, and so he will scarcely shun 
them, and when the harpineer, standing ready fitted, sees his oppor- 
tunity, he strikes his harping-iron into the whale about or before the 
fins rather than towards the tayle. Now, the harping-irons are like 
those which are usual in England in striking porpoises, but singular 
good metal, that will not break, but wind, as they say, about a man’s 
hand. To the harping-iron is made fast a strong lythe rope, and into 
the socket of that iron is put a staff, which, when the whale is struck, 
comes out of the socket, and so when the whale is something quiet they 
hale up to him by the rope, and, it may be, strike into him another 
harping-iron, or lance him with lances in staves till they have killed 
