[35] OPERATIONS OF SCHOONER GRAMPUS. 525 



and abundance very rapidly within the previous two years. He thought 

 this was true generally of the Magdalen Islands. 



Another, who operated a cannery at Amherst Harbor, said his pack 

 for 1887 would not exceed one-quarter of the amount which he put up 

 three years previously. He thought the outlook for the lobster fishery 

 very discouraging unless somethiug was done to check over-fishing. 

 He stated that the catch of lobsters was of the greatest consequence 

 to the fishermen of the Magdalen Islands, for the reason that cod were 

 scarce, that the spring mackerel-fishery had been a failure, and that, 

 although spring herring were abundaut, there had been little demaud 

 for them. 



Lobsters appeared to be plentiful on the east and northeast coasts of 

 Newfoundland. Numbers of fine ones were brought alongside the 

 Grampus at Seldom-come-by Harbor, which the fishermen were glad 

 to sell at a nominal price. I learned that there was a cannery at Fogo 

 Harbor, but it had not sufficient capacity to utilize all the lobsters that 

 could be easily obtained there. Canneries have been erected at other 

 points along the coast south of Fogo, but we did not learn of the ex- 

 istence of any west and north of that place. 



Mr. John Holmes, light-keeper at Seldom come-by Harbor, said that 

 lobsters were abundant and of large size at that place, but that the 

 fishermen could find no market for them, since the cannery at Fogo re- 

 ceived its supply from the fishermen at that harbor. 



So far as could be ascertained, the northern limit of distribution for 

 the lobster appears to be about the Strait of Belle Isle. I was told that 

 occasionally a lobster would be taken on the south side of the Strait, but 

 that one was seldom or never seen on the north side. 



It is reported that lobsters are abundant on the west and southwest 

 coasts of Newfoundland. If the reports are true, it is very possible 

 that a profitable industry might be carried on by American vessels on 

 that part of the coast where they have a treaty right to fish in littoral 

 waters. The lobsters could be brought alive to the United States in 

 welled smacks, or they could be canned on board a vessel, which might 

 be fitted up temporarily as a floating cannery. 



(n) Whales. — On July 1G eight humpback whales were seen ; two of 

 them to the southwest of Cape Pine ; two between Cape Pine and Cape 

 Race, and four others to the northeast of the latter point. 



Several whales were seen off Canada Head on July 29. 



A small finback came into the harbor near the vessel on several 

 occasions while we lay in Canada Bay, usually making its appearance 

 near sunset. 



North of Groais Island and Cape Rouge, on August 3, and between 

 that point and Cape Bauld, humpback and finback whales were seen in 

 abundance. 



During the afternoon of August 10, while off Mingan, a number of 

 whales were seen ; their appearance being particularly noticeable on 

 account of their closeness inshore. 



