74 
20. Sibbaldus musculus (Linnaeus), sulphur-bottom whale, blue whale. 
Low (1906, p. 273) lists this species as among the whales that were 
most common and important in the eastern Arctic at the time of his voyage 
in the Neptune. He says, “This whale is usually confounded with the one 
last mentioned; has the same range and habits, and is rarely killed by the 
natives. ” 
21. Megaptera nodosa (Bonaterre). humpback whale. 
Kumlien (1879, p. 66) says of this whale, “I could not ascertain that 
this whale is common in Cumberland gulf at any season. It frequents the 
southern waters, but it is little troubled by the whalers. The Eskimo do 
not seem to have a very clear idea of it.” Low includes it among the 
whales found in Baffin bay. 
22. Orcinus orca (Linnaeus). Atlantic killer whale. 
Kumlien (1879, p. 66) says that the killer is a very common whale in 
the Cumberland waters, where it arrives with the white whales and follows 
them up the fiords. Regarding this species Low (1906, pp. 273-274) makes 
the following remarks: 
“The killer is very voracious, and lives largely upon fish, seals, porpoises, and white 
whales. It also attacks large right whales, and on this account is disliked by the whalers, 
as the presence of a single killer means the immediate flight of all creatures in that vicinity. 
Luckily it will not penetrate among the heavy floes, where the right whales retreat for 
safety. Some idea of the destruction to life caused by the killer may be formed from the 
fact that in the stomach of one were found fourteen porpoises and fourteen large seals; 
it choked to death swallowing the fifteenth. They chase seals and white whales on shore, 
and the seals are often seen jumping clear out of wafer in their endeavour to escape.” 
23. Phocaena phocaena (Linnaeus), harbour porpoise. 
Kumlien (1879, p. 66) says that this species was by no means rare, 
at the time of his visit, in the southern waters of Cumberland sound during 
spring and autumn. He had no record of them at the upper end of the 
gulf. Low (1906, p. 274) remarks, “The porpoise arrives on the Greenland 
coast early in the spring, but does not go north of latitudes 69 degrees 
north, nor does it frequent the ice-laden seas of Baffin bay; it is unknown 
in Hudson strait and bay.” 
24. Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas), white whale. 
Eskimo: Killeluak; Kellellugak, according to Hantzsch. 
This species, according to the writer’s observations, is by far the 
commonest of the Cetacea about Baffin island, especially in Cumberland 
sound and Frobisher bay. They occur in Lancaster sound, Prince Regent 
inlet, in varying abundance all along the east Baffin Island coast, and the 
north shore of Hudson strait. 
On the Canadian Arctic Expedition of 1923 they were observed only 
at Erebus bay, Beechey island, on August 17. During the few hours 
spent there, hundreds of white whales passed up and down the coast. They 
moved in comparatively close formation and never more than 50 to 100 
yards from shore. They progressed slowly, continually coming to the 
surface, and showing in turn almost their entire length from blow-hole to 
a point just forward of the tail. Occasionally one also threw the tail out 
of the water. The wash of the water due to their passing and the continual 
