PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
·། ། ། ། ;། །
Reference :-
mmimC.O. 885
23 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
190
APPENDHOBS:
These data have been plotted in red* on the chart, and it will be seen that they fall naturally into line with the observations previously plotted. Professor Kükenthal concludes that pairing: takes place in August and September, and, according to the small fœtus observed in January at South: Georgia, in October as well; from these conclusions; it will be seen that Külsenthal, regards small fœtuses of 100 to 200 mm. in langth as being about three months old, which tallies well with what I have said above (pp. 98, 118, and 148) as to the slow preliminary development.
Returning to Olsen's paper, he says "that majority of births take place at end of August; that numerous new-born calves are observed at Port Alexandra, where individuals are caught together with their mothers." He mentions four or five calves killed in August of lengths of 6 to 6.5 metres.
In
The season is relatively long: at Saldanha Bay, May to mid-December. 1912 it began in March, but these were young humpbacks which remained during the summer, not having taken part in the migration. Curve of 1911 catch shows two maxima, at the end of June and in October; these mark the sulmination of the northward and the southward migrations respectively. In. 1912 humpbanks soarce, fewer caught with three whalers than in previous year with two; the northward migration was little marked, but the southward migration was; better.
If merely two years whaling could so seriously affect the humpback stock, then only a small number must have been in the habit of striking the African coast so far south. Probably it is only those which pass the summer in the Antarctic due south of Africa which arrive at south coast, while all the others seek the shortest way up to the breeding-place.
Port Alexandra. North and south migrations also visible in great rises in the curve of the catch. Humpbacks arrive here in each year about 6th June, and number then increases rapidly. Majority passed north at end of June and in first half of July, and southwards in October. Last lingerers disappeared at beginning of November. At beginning of whaling here the migrations played. but a relatively small rôle in the catch, because so many whales remained in the neighbourhood during the winter that one always had sufficient to hunt. But already in 1911 there was noticed a considerable decline in the numbers of the whales at this place, and one experienced a slacker time between the two migrations.
In 1912 whaling was still prosperous. off Benguela and Congo, and the same is said of this field in the present year (1013), in spite of the fact that one has seen very few passing migrant humpbacks at Saldanha Bay. This circumstance proves indeed sufficiently enough that the majority stand in to the coast north of Saldanha Bay.
Durban.--Season considerably shorter. Humpbacks arrive there constantly in first days of June; northward migration reaches its maximum at end of June, and southward migration takes place in September. Last humpback disappears in mid- November. Between the north and south migrations there is here also a poor period. The curves for first two years (1910, 1911) agree quite well; but that for 1912 shows great differences. The hunt in 1912 began under most favourable auspices, but a strike took place at time of maximum of the northward migration, and the catch, therefore, was poor, this so much the more because on the southward migration hump- backs were very scarce ("remained nearly absent"). Whether this last circumstance was due to natural causes or to the former intense whaling at Durban, or to both in part, cannot be said.
Linga Linga, Inhambane.—Curve of catch shows only one maximum, which occurs in August. This station lies in such warm water that many of the hump- backs remain to breed. Therefore no decline in the catch is observed, although many individuals continue their journey northwards. Humpbacks arrive here at about same time as at Durban, or only insignificantly later; they disappear again at end of October. In 1912 (first year of whaling here) one was therefore somewhat late in starting (25th June). In present year (1918) the catch has hitherto been a quite distinguished one at Linga Linga; but that at Durban has been relatively modest. This gives ground for assuming that a multitude of humpbacks on the east coast also comes in to the land north of British South Africa.
The following are the statistics upon which Olsen's curves are based :—-
* Indicated by broken lines.
1
APPENDIORS.
:191
Numbers of humpbacks caught at J. Bryde's stations in Saldanha Bay, Durban, and at Linga Linga.
Date.
Number of Whalera
March 20-80 April 1-10
10--90 20--BU
May 1-10
10-20
11
20-81
+
June 1-10
་
10-20
"
20--80
July 1-10
1 10-90
", 20-81 August 1-10
"1
10--20
20-01
September 1---10
11
10-20 20-80
Saldana Bay.
Darban.
· Linga· Lings.
1911.
1912.
1910.
1911.
1912.
1912.
B
2
41
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| | | | | | | -*=*=*=*====*∞
1628358739388825 |
13
15
44
21
27
-28
.108
19
34
19
19
19
·15.
85
16
24
30
22
:17
21
22
7
19
16
18
**
10-20 20-81
14
18
.16
19
November 1-10
5
10-20 20-80
October 1--10
נו
December 1-10
It
10 --20
Totals
12 4
*198||
114
269
504
273
325
Finners. Olsan now records the presence of finners off the South African coast (cf. p. 131 above). He says that the South African finner appears to be identical with ours." None of the seven or eight examined varied in structure or colour beyond the limits of individual variation observed in the north. The dimensions of an average specimen, a female, taken at Saldanha Bay on 6th May, 1913, are:-
Total length
Tip of snout to eye (anterior)
Tip of snout to pectoral insertion (anterior)
Tip of snout to blowholes
Tip of snout to angle of mouth
Natch of flukes to anus
Notch af flukes to vulva
Dorsal fin, vertical height
Pectoral fin, length
Pectoral fin, greatest breadth
This had 96 pleats on ventral surface between pectorals.
=
Metres. 15.9
100
3.3
=
20.7 per cent.
2.7
=
16-9
D
5.25
33
21
3.15 =
19.8
$1
4-63 = 29-1
"
4.85 =
30.5
11
0.42
=
26
1-65 0.46
=
10.3
=
2.8
"}
The baleen comprised
ני
375 × 2 plates; longest plate measured 580 (inclusive of “hair," 120) × 230 × 4 mm.; length of shortest plate, 200 mm. Food: "kril," no fish. Parasites: Penella.
Most of the South African finners are caught at Saldanha Bay. They occur throughout the season, but rarely come close to shore. In the two first seasons hardly any fingers were caught at this place, but when, in 1912, humpbacks became scarce
*6.8, Natal arrived 18th June; s.8. "Durbana" arrived 20th July,
1.One whaler vainly on look-out from 23rd May.
8.6. Delagoa began 12th July.
§ Strike between 18th and 27th July.
Olsen gives totals as 217 and 116 respectively. The details given of the catches have been com-
pared with Olsen's curves and are correct.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.