times they dart along the surface, and then dive
and reascend with such energy as to leap entirely
out of the water; sometimes they raise themselves
perpendicularly; sometimes, head downwards, they
flourish their tails aloft, and lash the water with
tremendous violence, throwing the sea around
them into foam, and producing a roaring noise
resounding to a considerable distance." The
affection of the mother for her sucking offspring,
is very remarkable; and is taken advantage of
by the whalers; who often strike the young
one to obtain the mother, knowing that she
will not forsake it. Mr. Scoresby has recorded
several most affecting instances of this maternal
love, stronger than the fear of death. On one
occasion, a suckling Whale having been struck,
the mother arose to the surface, and seizing her
infant beneath her fin, dived instantly, dragging
about a hundred fathoms of line with considerable
velocity. Again she rose to the surface; furiously
darted to and fro; frequently stopping short, or
suddenly changing her direction, and exhibiting
every symptom of extreme agony. She acted in
this manner for a considerable time, though closely
pursued by the boats, her maternal concern over-
coming all sense of her own imminent danger. ‘The
harpoon at length was infixed in her, after two
failures; yet, indifferent to pain, she still refused to
seek her own escape, but clung to her young one,
thus permitting the harpoons of other boats to be
thrown, until at length she expired with her
offspring, an unresisting prey.
The incessant pursuit of this huge animal, has driven it from regions in which it was formerly abundant, and is perceptibly thinning its numbers
