164 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Sound by the Esquimaux; 215 Walrus, two White Foxes and a 

 few Esquimaux Dogs were also brought home by the different 

 vessels. 



The condition of the ice in the North Greenland fishing- 

 grounds has so long been unfavourable for Whaling that it was 

 thought surely this season a change must have taken place : buoyed 

 by this hope, and tempted by the fabulous price which whalebone 

 has reached, the bolder spirits determined to try once more. The 

 result, to all but two fortunate exceptions, as will be seen, was 

 nothing but disappointment. There was a splendid fishing-bight 

 in lat. 78° 40' off Prince Charles Foreland, and here all the 

 Whales of the season were killed. On May 1 7th the ' Eclipse ' killed 

 her only Whale (a small bull, of 5 ft. 6 in. bone) ; on the 19th the 

 * Hope ' met with the like fortune, her hauls being not much larger 

 than that taken by the * Eclipse ' ; and here also the 'Polar Star ' 

 and the ' Active,' both of Dundee, secured, the former six and the 

 latter three, Whales. On the South fishing-ground there was an 

 enormous accumulation of ice off the east coast of Greenland, 

 and the ships lost the whole of the season steaming through the 

 cracks and lanes, for a distance of 350 miles, with no result. 

 The • Windward ' (which with the ' Eclipse ' and ' Hope ' formed 

 the whole of the Peterhead fleet) returned with only 111 Seals, 

 yielding two tons of oil. A considerable number of Whales 

 were seen by the ships, but they were shy and unapproachable, 

 the good fortune of the two Dundee vessels being probably 

 accidental. 



The total produce of the Scotch whaling voyage was seventeen 

 Whales, producing 259 tons of oil and 8 tons 9 cwt. of bone. 

 The small size of the Greenland Whales will be apparent when 

 I state that the eleven only averaged rather less than 8 cwt. of 

 bone each, whereas five of the Davis Straits averaged 16 J cwt. 

 each, the sixth being a sucker of 1 cwt. This is contrary 

 to what was formerly the case, the Greenland Whales being 

 accustomed to yield more oil and bone than those from the 

 Straits ; fish of 20 tons of oil and 1 ton of bone were not 

 unfrequent. 



The oil may be valued at £20 per ton, but it is difficult to 

 value the bone as so much of it was under-sized ; the present 

 price of size bone (i. e. over six feet) is £ 2800, but fully 20 per 

 cent, would be worth only £1400 per ton ; perhaps, therefore, 



