Sep., 1889. the fin whale fishery in north lapland. 
197 
THE FIN WHALE FISHERY IN NORTH LAPLAND.* 
BY H. BALFOUR, M.A., F.Z.S. 
At the beginning of August last summer, in company 
with Mr. A. H. Cocks, I made a trip to the extreme North of 
Scandinavia. Our object, to a great extent, was to visit some 
of the whaling stations situated in North Finmarken or 
Norwegian Lapland. My friend had already visited these 
stations on several occasions, and has published a very 
interesting series of papers in the “ Zoologist ” (see list given 
at the end). Our journey across from Hull to Throndhjem 
did not produce any thing of special interest, though five 
whales were passed when about fifteen hours from the English 
coast. In the Throndhjem Museum one has the opportunity 
of studying many of the local Cetacea, of which several very 
well preserved specimens may be seen. 
We left Throndhjem in one of the coasting mail steamers, 
which carried us as far as our destination, the little town of 
Vardo in East Finmarken ; and, as the vessel had some 
seventy or more stations to call at on the way, in and out of 
the fjords and islands, we had ample opportunity for feasting 
our eyes upon the magnificent and varied coast scenery. The 
journey occupied a week. We saw several of the smaller 
Cetacea en route , chiefly dolphins of different species, and it 
was very interesting trying to identify these, though by no 
means easy, from the rapidity of their movements, and from 
the fact of more than one species associating together in 
“ schools.” One smaller species we identified frequently, 
Delphinus Albirostris, the “Springer” of the Norwegians. 
This soecies is characterised bv its bold colouring of black 
and white in patches, its pure white beak, and very marked 
caudal keel. It springs very high out of the water when 
fishing, or sometimes apparently for the pure enjoyment of 
the thing; or possibly in the endeavour to shake off trouble¬ 
some parasites. 
Besides these, D. tursio appeared to be common, and on 
my return south, I met with the Pilot or Ca’aing Whale 
(Globiocephalus melcis ), in small “schools.” Porpoises were 
fairly abundant in twos and threes, easily distinguished by 
the low and obtuse dorsal fin ; occasionally might be seen a 
* Read before the Oxfordshire Natural History Society, April 2nd, 
1889. 
