46 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



exceedingly low average compared with present prices, oil being 

 £19 per tun, and whalebone £2250 per ton. At the above esti- 

 mate the Peterhead whalers brought a net return to their 

 owners of £586 per voyage, and those of Dundee £1212 10s. ; 

 but of course the amounts varied greatly in different seasons. 



The year 1830 was a very disastrous one in the Whale fishery. 

 Hull had eighteen vessels out, six of which were wrecked, and 

 the loss was never recovered ; this, following the discontinuance 

 of the bounty in 1824, led to a considerable decline in the 

 number of the vessels employed, and as they were lost or worn 

 out they were not replaced. Thus the diminution was gradual ; 

 but the introduction of steam in 1858 not only placed the sailing 

 vessels at a disadvantage, but, from its disturbing effects and the 

 facilities it afforded for following the Whales in the ice-floes, 

 rapidly decreased their numbers, and gave the final death-blow 

 to whaling in the Greenland Seas. 



In the following list of ports known to have been engaged in 



the northern Whale fishery it will be observed that the great 



majority are situated on the east coast. Where possible I 



have given the date when each port first sent out vessels, and, 



so far as I have been able to ascertain, that of discontinuing to 



do so : — 



Earliest Voyage. Latest Voyage. 



Bristol 1752 1755 



Banff 1818 



Lynn 1821 



Yarmouth 1821 ? 



Grimsby 1821 



Liverpool 1823 



Kirkwall 1825 



Greenock 1830 



London 1836 



Whitby 1753 1837 



Berwick 1837 



Montrose 1839 



Burntisland 1831 1839 



Leith 1750 1840 



Boness 1836 1840 



Kirkaldy 1865 



Fraserburgh 1868 



Hull 1869 



Aberdeen 1870 



Peterhead 1788 1893 



Dundee 1790, and still continues. 



Whaling vessels were also equipped by Edinburgh firms, and 



