26 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



has acted as a store-vessel at the mining settlement, and the 

 ' Albert ' (97 tons) still remains in Pond's Bay, her catch having 

 been brought home by the ' Eclipse ' ; this consisted of 2 Right 

 Whales, 19 White Whales, 3 Walrus, 686 Seals, 16 Bears, 

 10 tuns of oil, and 5 cwt. of bone. 



The 'Active,' which, as usual, went to Hudson Strait, had a 

 double duty to perform ; she carried out stores and provisions 

 for the fishing station at Lake Harbour, and to the mines in 

 Repulse Bay, prosecuting the fishery as opportunity offered. 

 She left Dundee on June 9th, and returned on Oct. 22nd. The 

 captain found, on arrival at his destination, that the wintering 

 party had captured one Whale, 8 ft. 9 in. bone, which was taken 

 in Roes Welcome on Sept. 15th, 1903 ; and subsequently, on 

 Aug. 14th, 1904, the crew killed a second Whale of 9 ft. 3 in. 

 bone. The weather was most unpropitious, and the ' Active ' 

 bore up for home on Sept. 29th. I have mentioned the miscel- 

 laneous character of the cargoes brought home by the whalers, 

 and as a further illustration give that of the ' Active,' which, in 

 addition to the two Whales, consisted of 69 White Whales, 38 

 Walruses, 52 Seals, 32 Bears, 157 Fox and 30 Musk-Ox skins, 

 besides 15 tons of mica, and a young Iceland Falcon. 



The Davis Strait vessels experienced a constant succession of 

 gales, fogs, and severe frosts — the ice, too, was very heavy — all of 

 which greatly impeded the fishery. Plenty of Whales were seen, 

 but the conditions were such that it was impossible to capture 

 them ; the winter, too, set in so early that the failure of the 

 autumn fishery on the west side of the Strait also added to their 

 vexation and disappointment, for there, too, Whales were seen in 

 plenty, which it was beyond their power to pursue. 



The ' Diana ' was the most fortunate ship of the season, 

 heading the list with three Whales, the first of which was 

 captured on May 21st at the east-side fishery ; it yielded 10 ft. 

 2 in. bone. Pursuing her way north, after some unpleasant 

 experiences drifting in the pack, at the end of June, Dalrymple 

 Rock was reached, where the crew laid in a stock of eggs and 

 " ducks " ; then on to Pond's Inlet, where, on July 7th, the 

 second Whale, a fine fish of 11 ft. 1 in. bone, was killed; and 

 ten days after, in the same locality, a third of 8 ft. 1 in. bone 

 was secured. Other Whales were seen, and on Sept. 16th a fine 



