PREFACE. 



Being on the coast of California in 1852, when the "gold-fever" raged, the 

 force of circumstances compelled me to take command of a brig, bound on a seal- 

 ing, sea- elephant, and whaling voyage, or abandon sea- life, at least temporarily. 

 The objects of our pursuit were found in great numbers, and the opportunities 

 for studying their habits were so good, that I became greatly interested in col- 

 lecting facts bearing upon the natural history of these animals. Reference to the 

 few books devoted to the subject soon convinced me that I was at work in a 

 department in which but little definite knowledge existed. This was true even of 

 the whales, the best known of this class ; and I was soon led to believe that, by 

 diligent observation, I should be able to add materially to the scanty stock of infor- 

 mation existing in regard to the marine mammals of the Pacific Coast. I was the 

 more encouraged to pursue these investigations, because, among the great number 

 of intelligent men in command of whaling- ships, there was no one who had contrib- 

 uted anything of importance to the natural history of the Cetaceans ; while it was 

 obvious that the opportunities offered for the study of their habits, to those prac- 

 tically engaged in the business of whaling, were greater than could possibly be 

 enjoyed by persons not thus employed. 



The chief object in this work is to give as correct figures of the different 

 species of marine mammals, found on the Pacific Coast of North America, as could 

 be obtained from a careful study of them from life, and numerous measurements 

 after death, made Avhenever practicable. It is also my aim to give as full an 

 account of the habits of these animals as practicable, together with such facts in 

 reference to their geographical distribution as have come to my knowledge. 



It is hardly necessary to say, that any person taking up the study of marine 

 mammals, and especially the Cetaceans, enters a difficult field of research, since the 



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