THE IIVBIPBACK WHALE. 



43 



The following observations were made along the coasts of Kortli and South 

 America, and in Oceanica. In the years 1852 and 1853, large numl^crs of Hump- 

 backs resorted to the Gulf of Gimyac|uil, coast of Pern, to calve, and the height 

 of the season was during the months of Julj^ and August. The same may be said 

 of the gulfs and bays situated near the corresponding latitudes north of the equa- 

 tor ; still, instances are not unfrecjuent where cows and their calves have Ijeen seen 

 at all other seasons of the year about the same coast. In the Bay of Talk- de 

 Banderas, coast of Mexico (latitude 20° 30'), in the month of Decemljer, we saw 

 numbers of Humpbacks, with calves but a few days old. In May, 1855, at !Mag- 

 clalena Bay, coast of Lower California (about latitude 24° 30'), wo found them in 

 lilce numbers ; some with very largo calves, while others were very small. The 

 season at Tongataboo (one of the Friendly Islands, latitude 21° south, kmgitude 

 174° west), according to Captain Beckerman, includes August and September. Here 

 the females were usually large, yielding an average of forty barrels of oil, including 

 the cntrail fat, which amounted to about six barrels. The largest whale taken at 

 this point, during the season of 1871, produced seventy-three barrels, and she was 

 adjudged to be seventy -five feet in length. It is worthy of remarlv, that a large 

 majority of the whales resorting thither were white on the under side of the body 

 and fnis.* 



* Eminent zoologists have Lli^dded the Hump- 

 backs into several species. Crra}', in his C'ala- 

 logiic of the Brillali Mutfcum, 1850, mates mention 

 of the following- names and outward descrip- 

 tions : 



1. Megapteba longimana (JoJinx/on's IJnmpbach 

 Wlialc). — Black, pectoral fins and lieneath white, 

 black varied ; lower lip with two series of tu- 

 bercles ; pectorals nearl}' one - third the entire 

 length ; dorsal elongate, the front edge over 

 end of pectoral ; throat and belly grooved. Fe- 

 male : upper and lower lijj with a series of 

 tubercles ; dorsal an obscure protuberance. 



2. Megapteea Americana {Bermuda Ilump- 

 hach). — Black, belly white; head with round tu- 

 bercles. 



3. Megapteka Poeskop [Pcjenkop or Cape Hump- 

 hack). — Dorsal nearlj' over the end of pectorals. 

 4. Megapteba Kuzika {The Kazirei). — Dorsal 

 small, and behind the middle of the back; the 

 pectoral fins rather short, and less than one- 



fourth the entire length of the body ; nose and 

 sides of throat have round warts ; belly plaited. 



We have frequently recognized, upon the 

 California coast, every species here described, 

 and even in the same school or " gam." More- 

 over, we have experienced the greatest difficulty 

 in finding any two of these strange animals 

 externally alike, or possessing any marked .gen- 

 eric or specific differences. If the differences 

 j^ointed out as constituting different species are 

 maintained, wo conclude there must bo a great 

 number. Wo have observed, both in the dead 

 and living animals, the following different ex- 

 ternal marks: 1st. Body black above, white 

 beneath. 2d. Body black above and below, with 

 more or less white mottling under the throat 

 and about the abdomen ; pectoral and caudal 

 fins white beneath, or slightly spotted with 

 black. 3d. Body black above, white beneath, 



