6 
MAMMALS 
Little-piked Whale Baleenoptera acutoroatrata 2 
Two individuals were seen, one on 23 April at 30°49'N, H7°4l'W, and 
another on 2k April at 29°30’N, H7°l8’W. Both animals were adults. The 
sightings are believed to represent different animals as there were small 
distinctions noted in coloration of the two animals. They seemed to be 
attracted to the ship. During both periods of observation the large 
fathometer was working. This equipment emits a ping at frequent intervals, 
and I believe it possible that the animals were attracted to this. During 
both observation periods the ship was stopped or moving only slightly (hold¬ 
ing against the current). 
The observation of the animal on 23 April lasted for an hour. During 
this period the animal stayed around the bow of the ship, swimming back and 
forth. This animal was never noted to blow with a visible vapor cloud. 
Instead it began its exhalation below the surface of the water, finished it 
just as it surfaced, and inhaled while the blowhole was exposed. On this 
animal the broad white bands on the flippers were visible each time the 
animal surfaced and even when it was swimming several fathoms below the 
surface. 
The animal observed on 2k April first appeared at the fantail of the 
ship where it surfaced only 10-15 meters off the port side. The animal was 
observed by most people on the ship. The animal surfaced in a rolling mo¬ 
tion, forcing the pointed upper jaw out of the water, the forepart of the 
head then submerged exposing the blowhole; as the blowhole submerged and 
the roll was continued, the strongly recurved dorsal appeared and was above 
the water for several seconds. The animal never exposed the flukes during 
its play. It did make several passes by the ship, swimming on its back ex¬ 
posing the brilliant white underneath. 
Baird (Common) Dolphin Delphinus delphinus bairdii 158 
This animal was seen frequently. The pods were not large, ranging 
from 2 to 35 animals with a mean of 9* They often came to the bow of the 
ship and rode the n wake n while the ship was underway at full speed. They 
would not stay with the ship if it was travelling at slow speeds. 
Tursiops sp. 
Tursiops were seen in the vicinity of Guadalupe Island where one was 
collected (see Guadalupe Island Report). 
Otariidae 
There were several sightings of eared seals, generally associated with 
floating kelp patches. One sighting of a pair of large sandy colored 
animals may have been Stellar Sea Lions ( Eumetopias jubata ) although these 
would have been far south of their normal range. On the San Benito Islands 
there is a light-colored race of California Sea Lion ( Zalophus califorinana ). 
Since the observations of Dr. Hubbs and myself were short in duration, we 
discredited our initial identification of Eumatopias , and decided that the 
animals probably were migrant Zalophus from the San Benitos. 
