CURRENTS AND WHALING. 519 



The fourth belt extends from the southern tropic to the latitude of 

 50° S. The most profitable time for cruising within it is in the 

 months of March, April, and May, to the eastward of New Zealand. 

 After that date, along and between the parallels of 22° and 28° S., 

 from the coast of New Holland to that of South America. The 

 portion of sea between New Holland and New Zealand, is called the 

 " middle ground," and is frequently found very profitable. 



From an examination of the particular localities in which whales 

 are found most numerous at certain seasons, and connecting these with 

 my own observations on currents, I am induced to believe the places 

 of their resort will point more correctly to the neutral points, or 

 spaces of no current, than any other data that we yet possess. 



These must naturally become the rendezvous or feeding-places of 

 these animals. The determination of these points will therefore 

 throw additional light on the system of currents in the ocean, by 

 pointing out the neutral spaces. The chief resort of whales will 

 be seen on the map at one view ; and when these are connected 

 with the currents shown to exist by the observations of the Expedi- 

 tion and others, they will be found to correspond in a remarkable 

 manner with the neutral spaces. 



I have myself paid much attention to acquiring information in 

 relation to the position of these grounds, from the masters of whale- 

 ships, but have usually found their reports at variance one with 

 another, and they have sometimes differed as much as five degrees in 

 assigning their limits. Their position, no doubt, varies much in 

 different years ; but even this will not explain all the discrepancies of 

 the statements. 



If we examine the seasons of the appearance of whales at certain 

 islands, they will generally be found to be between the beginning 

 and the end of the summer of the climate, during which time animal 

 life is most prolific, and the food of the whale consequently abounds 

 near the particular group. I have frequently been told, and it is 

 generally believed, that whales are partial to warmth, and frequent 

 few places outside the tropics. This, if true, would be singular 

 enough ; but the main reason for their frequenting the summer seas at 

 particular seasons is the procurement of food, which is there to be 

 found in greater abundance ; and there appears to be little doubt that 

 in migrating, these animals move with the currents; until they find 

 their food in plenty, and then continue in such locality until it is 

 exhausted. 



