90 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



The result of the season's fishing was 16 Whales, 494 Wal- 

 ruses, 53 Seals, and 145 Bears, producing 230 tuns of oil and 

 219 ewt. of bone; in addition to which was the produce of one 

 Whale, 138 Walruses, and 3400 Seals, equal to 60 tuns of oil 

 and 10 cwt. of bone, brought home from the Cumberland Gulf 

 station by the Peterhead brig * Alert.' No White Whales were 

 killed, owing to the bays in which they are usually beached being 

 blocked with ice. 



The present price of oil is £22 per tun, and of size bone 

 5£l400 per ton. The Walrus hides vary greatly in value accord- 

 ing to quality— i. e. thickness — and the Seal-skins may be taken 

 all round at 3s. each. At this rate the estimated value of the 

 year's produce would be something like £30,000, as against 

 £38,000 in the previous season. 



I am informed that, so far as the British whalers are con- 

 cerned, the Greenland Seas will be left undisturbed in the 

 coming season. 



I have to express my thanks to Mr. James Mitchell and Mr. 

 E. Kinnes, of Dundee, for kindly furnishing me with information 

 with regard to the Dundee whaling-fleet ; and to Mr. Michael 

 Thorburn, of St. John's, Newfoundland, for like favours from 

 that port. 



