198 CONTBIBUTIONS TO THE NATUBAL HISTOKY OF ALASKA. 



island, and not ten miles from shore, I have seen not less than one hundred and fifty individuals at 

 a single glance over the surface of the water ; some of them appearing to have a length of not 

 less than twenty-eight feet. 



Near the recently formed island, Bogaslov, I witnessed several of these marine cut-throats 

 chasing five Sea-lions. One of the Dolphins seized a nearly full-grown female Sea-lion, and in plain 

 view, for the creatures were not fifty feet from the vessel, lying in a calm and but gently moving in 

 the slight undulations of the sea, tore the throat from the huge beast, while the remainder of the 

 Sea-lions were attempting to clamber upon the vessel, which they doubtless mistook for a rock. 

 One of the " Killers " attempted to seize another Sea lion, but just at that moment observed the ves- 

 sel, and, while passing under her stern, received a shot from a rifle, which paralyzed it. The ball 

 entered the " blowhole," and a spirt of blood issued several feet high . The creature sank obliquely 

 through the water. The muzzle of the gun was certainly not more than six feet from the Dolphin. 



In the vicinity of Tigalda Island I witnessed two of these creatures attacking a very large 

 Finback Whale. The latter was nearly exhausted by the persistent and impetuous lunges made 

 upon it by its enemies. The sound of the splash made by the attacking Dolphins, as they leaped 

 entirely out of the water and thundered upon the body of their prey, could be heard more than 

 half a mile. It is not an unusal occurrence to find the carcass of some one of the larger species 

 of the cetaceans, frequenting the Alaskan waters, with the throat torn out by the " Killer," which 

 is said specially to relish the tongue of its huge victims; the remainder of the body often showing 

 marks of the contest with its foes, for a single " Killer" never makes the attack, usually two to 

 seven individuals engage in the struggle, endeavoring to cause the Whale to dive and be thus 

 prevented from breathing, thereby the sooner becoming exhausted, as the merciless foes attack 

 with the savage ferocity of enraged wolves. 



The food of the "Killer" is suspected to be quite varied in character, for it is frequently seen 

 following the schools of Surf Smelts, Sypomesus olidus (Pall) Gill, which occur in numbers beyond 

 calculation near the sandy shores of some of the Aleutian Islands. Here are seen single "Killers", 

 swimming amongst these little fishes; and, during the appearance of those Smelts, was the only 

 time that I ever saw the "Killer" near the shore. 



The Aleuts have a wholesome dread of this Dolphin. They relate numerous instances where a 

 skin canoe has been upset by them and the occupant devoured. I suspect, however, that the na- 

 tive touched a hidden rock, while attempting to discover the locality where the "Killer" would re- 

 appear, and that the misfortune was due to his own inadvertence. Let it be as it may, the Aleut 

 of the present day betakes himself to the nearest landing place on discovering the proximity of an 

 individual; and, when safely landed addresses it, claiming to have done neither it nor its relations 

 any harm ; and if the Killer fears to attack him in the water he may now have the opportunity to 

 come out on land and try its strength as did its ancestors, which vainly contended with a human 

 character of ancient times, in which the then amphibian "Killer" was worsted, and has since that 

 time become strictly a creature of the water. - 



I had but little opportunity to observe this species from November to the following May, but 

 am led to conclude that the various species of Dolphins do not remain in the vicinity of the sea-ice 

 during the winter. They appear plentifully about the Aleutian Islands by the last of April, and 

 probably follow the retreating ice to the northward, arriviug at Saint Michael's by the middle of May 

 Their breeding habits were not learned; although, very small individuals were observed as early as 

 the middle of June, and these appeared well able to follow the adults. 



The Alents speak of the Killer as Ag lyuk; and, to another species, which they recognize, they 

 give the name Um gn likh. 



I have seen what I believed to be two species, and perhaps three species, of the so-called 

 "Killers," swimming together, all moving in the same direction. 



Genus Delphinapterus. 



Delphinapterus catodon (Linne) Gill. White Whale. 

 The White Whale is of frequent occurrence in the more northern portions of Bering Sea. It 

 is more littoral in its habits than any other cetacean, often ascending the larger fresh- water streams 



