PLACES OF RESORT, ETC. 
189 
whale so far north as Greenland. They are also seldom 
or never seen on “ soundings/’ that is where the bottom 
of the sea can be touched by the deepest sea-line, or in 
the “ banks,” as they are termed by whalers, that exist 
in various parts of the ocean, as the 6i Brazil banks,” 
which are only discolorations of the water caused by 
myriads of animalculse which perhaps form the sus- 
tenance of the common black whale’s food, that con- 
sists of “ squillae ” and other small animals. But the 
sperm whale has been sometimes taken near the borders 
of these “ submarine pastures,” particularly near those 
of Brazil. The favourite places of his resort at the 
present day appear in the following list : — - 
New Guinea and parts adjacent.— On the north 
coast of New Guinea, from 140° to 146°, east longitude. 
New Ireland, from Cape St. George to Cape St. Mary ; 
from Squally Island to the northward; from St. George’s 
Channel to the southward ; on the east coast of New 
Britain ; about the islands of Bougainville and Bouka 
Bay, particularly off the northern shore of Bougainville, 
as far as the Green, or Bentley’s Islands ; Solomon’s 
Archipelago, as far to the northward as Howe’s Group ; 
Malanta, along the north-east and south-west parts, and 
in the straits, as far to the north as Gower’s Island; and 
off the west points of New Hanover. 
King’s Mill Group . — Off any part of these islands, 
but more particularly off the south-west parts of Roach’s 
Island, distant from the land thirty or forty miles ; and 
off the south-west portion of Byron’s Island. 
