We have, then, on the one hand, the fact that the Silurian basin of Bohemia was isolated and separated from other regions, over which successively existed the three general faunas characteristic of the Silurian period (with the Upper Cambrian. On the other hand, divers well established facts demonstrate the coexistence of a certain number of identical species on corresponding horizons in countries geographically widely removed from one another. This co-existence can only be explained by the effect of migrations.

We may suppose, therefore, that the repeated introduction into Bohemia of species which are equally characteristic of the colo nics and of the third fauna, may be explained by having recourse to the phenomenon of migrations. We may also suppose that the intermittent appearance of the colonies may be attributed to oscillations of the land during the last phases of the second fauna, the occurrence of such oscillations being testified by the frequent intercalation of traps in the beds in question (viz. in d 5).

Lastly, we may define the phenomena of colonies as consisting in the co existence of two general fauna, which, considered in their entirety, are nevertheless successive."

THE WHALE OF THE ST. LAWRENCE.

By DR. J. W. ANDERSON, President of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec.

In the early history of Canada, the whale and walrus fishery of the Gulf of St. Lawrence was of no inconsiderable influence, giving employment to many of the Basque and Breton fishermen, and being one of the best nurseries for French seamen In later times when the walrus had become entirely extinct, the whale fishery was prosecuted with energy by the Canadians, especially of the District of Gispe; and Bouchette, writing in 1832, says: "The whale fishery is carried on with some success by a few active and enterprising inhabitants, who are almost exclusively employed in this kind of fishery. Four or five schooners, manned each with from eight to twelve able and skilful persons, are occupied in whaling during the summer months. This business yields about 18,000 gallons of oil, which is principally sent to Quebec.

The number of hands employed in reducing the blubber to oil, preparing casks, and other incidental labour, may amount to about 100."

Mr. Frank Austin, a few years ago, read a paper to the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, on "Some of the Fishes of the St. Lawrence." In this paper, published in the "Transactions" for 1866, it is stated that it gave profitable employment to a good many schooners of from seventy to eighty tons burthen, each manned by eight men. Each schooner carried two boats, twenty feet long, narrow and sharp, with a pink stern. There were two hundred and twenty fathoms of line to each boat, and the proper supply of harpoons and lances. The species caught was that commonly called the Humpback, and each on an average produced three tons of oil. The mode of capture was somewhat different from that practised by the whalers who resort to Davis' Straits and Greenland, and it is said that any active man, accustomed to the management of boats, could soon become proficient. When approaching the whale in the boats, the men used paddles instead of oars, finding that less noise was made, and that they were thus surer of their prey. It would appear that the whale of the St. Lawrence was even more easily captured than that of Greenland, being if anything more timid and stupid when once harpooned, for sometimes within fifteen minutes after they had been struck, their huge bodies rolled like helpless logs on the The oil yielded in 1864 by the Gaspe fishery was of the value of $17,000. We have no means at hand to say what the returns have been since then, but we have reason to fear that like the porpoise fishery, the capture of the whale has not received that attention which it deserved, nnd that unless new life be imparted, it will altogether cease to be prosecuted as a regular and remunerative branch of national industry. The valuable walrus fishery was lost by ignorance, which led to the complete extinction of the animal in the St. Lawrence. The whale fishery stands a chance of abandonment from apathy.

water.

We were struck on reading Sir Richard Bonnycastle's book, published in 1845, by remarking the number of whales which he saw on his voyage up and down the St. Lawrence, between Gaspe and Kamouraska. Certainly they do not now frequent the St. Lawrence in such abundance.

In the Canadian Magazine, vol. 1, page 283, will be found as follows: About the middle of September (1823) a large whale

found its way up the St. Lawrence till nearly opposite the village of Montreal, where it continued to play itself for several days, not being able, from the shallowness of the water, to navigate its way down the river. Having attracted the notice of the inhabitants, several enterprising individuals put off in boats with some whale-fishing materials in pursuit of it; and at last after nearly a week's exertion it was harpooned by Captain Brush of the Tow steamboat. It was immediately dragged ashore, and exhibited in a booth fitted up for the purpose, for the gratification of the inhabitants. It was found to measure forty-two feet eight inches in length, six feet across the back, and seven feet deep. It has since been conveyed to Three Rivers and Quebec for the same purpose."

Early in August of this year (1871) two whales were seen sporting on the shores of the Gulf, and a Mr. Chabot, and an Englishman, who claim to have invented a gun harpoon (on Capt. Manby's principle), brought their gun to the shore and discharged the harpoon. As the whale instantly disappeared, and as the rope returned to the shore without the harpoon, they were under the impression that the whale had been struck. Some days afterwards, the government steamer Druid' being down the North Channel, saw something on the beach at St. Joachim, which they thought at first was a boat, but on nearer approach it was discovered to be a whale. Ropes were attached to the jaw and tail, and the huge animal was towed to the Police Wharf at Quebec, where for a few days it was visited by thousands, but becoming extremely offensive, and the weather being very hot, the Mayor very properly ordered it to be removed. It was sold by auction, and purchased by Mr. Gregory for $260, and was then towed to 'Patrick's Hole,' close to the Church of St. Laurent, where Wolfe's army first landed, and there beached and preparations made for fleching it.

I had not an opportunity of seeing it at Quebec, but through the politeness of Mr. Gregory, who gave me a passage, I had the satisfaction of seeing it at Patrick's Hole.' On approaching the beach we saw a number of the inhabitants around it, and on our nearer approach, our nostrils informed us that it was not the Guard's bouquet which made all the women have their handkerchiefs at their noses!

I was not prepared to find so huge an animal. It was supposed that the two whales had been a female and its calf, and I was in

formed that it was the calf that had been found. It turned out to be an aged male, apparently of the species Balana Mysticetus. I measured it as carefully as I could, and satisfied myself that it was sixty-five feet in length. The back was black, the belly furrowed, presenting exactly the appearance of a clinker-built boat, and each furrow alternately black and dingy white. The baleens of one side had been lost by being caught on the rocks while it was being hauled ashore, but the other though it had been removed from the jaw, was quite perfect, till the visitors began to appropriate its plates. With the permission of Mr. Gregory I secured a few plates. I never had an opportunity of seeing so large a whale before, though I saw the skeleton of the whale stranded on the beach of Portobello, near Edinburgh, in 1829, and purchased by Dr. Knox. I concluded after a careful examination that it answered fully the description given by De Kay, as follows:

Nat. Ord. Cetacea; Genus Balana; Species, Balana mysticetus. Right or common whale. Characteristics, black, occasionally varied with white or yellow. Gape of the mouth, arched, with about 600 lamina of whalebone. Length, forty to sixty feet.

Description: body thickest in the middle, a little behind the fore paws; somewhat furrowed, tapering towards the tail. Head large, somewhat triangular. Opening of the mouth large, with a few scattering hairs on the end of the jaws. Eyes very small, and placed near the corners of the mouth. External jaw exceedingly minute. Spiracles two, oblong, adjacent, slightly largish in front. Palate and sides of upper jaw with two rows of whalebone from ten to thirteen feet long, and generally curved longitudinally, and giving an arched form to the roof of the mouth. Each series consists of three hundred or more laminae of whalebone, the interior edges of which are covered with a hair-like fringe. Swimming paws rounded, somewhat pointed, 7-9 feet long with a width of 4-5 feet, and situated about two feet behind the angle of the mouth. Tail very broad, notched in the centre, curved on the edges, and pointed at the tips. Colour: blackish throughout, occasionally with a small space under the body, and a larger space on the lower jaw, whitish grey or flesh colour. Very old individuals become varied with white, black, or piebald. Weight from 60 to 100 tons. It is presumed to have a gestation of nine months, produces one at a birth, which it suckles for about a year. It exhibits great maternal fondness,

and although at other times remarkably timid, manifests great boldness and even ferocity in defending its young. It is gregarious, and was formerly found in every part of the ocean, but has been driven by the fishermen from the coasts of Europe and America. It was early followed by the Americans to the South Pacific, and its capture is now prosecuted in India and Africa.

From the structure of its jaws and the smallness of its throat, it can only feed on the smaller oceanic animals, such as medusæ or sea jellies, shrimps, crabs, and some minute mollusca. Hence it differs most materially from the genus cachelot or sperm whale, which has got a wide gullet, and is capable of swallowing fishes of very considerable size. It feeds abundantly on the mackerel, and a portion of a shark has even been found in its stomach. At first thought it appears very wonderful that so immense an animal as the common whale should have to depend for its subsistence on minute animals, but the wonder ceases when we examine the waters to which they resort, sometimes in very large herds. De Kay says that he has seen off the coast of Brazil hundreds of miles where the mollusca are so numerous as to discolour the water, giving the appearance of wheat scattered over a reddish sandbank; and Scoresby has estimated that in some parts of the Arctic seas twenty-three quadrillions of such animalculæ are distributed over a surface of two square miles. There is very great difference in the accounts given of the size

of the two whales

which I have mentioned. Some writers give the length of the sperm whale at from 70 to 80 feet, and of the common whale at from 80 to 100 feet. It is quite possible that such may have been occasionally found, but they are to be viewed as exceptional, for Capt. Scoresby, the very highest authority, and who had personally engaged in the capture of 322 whales, says that not one of them exceeded 60 feet.

I may mention how apt people are to be deceived as to the size of objects, and that no reliance can be placed on anything but actual measurement. A gentleman of Quebec, noted for his general intelligence and the interest he takes in all these subjects, met me in the library of the Literary and Historical Society, on his return from Cacouna. He said: "So you have had a great visitor at Quebec during my absence, but not so great as one that visited the St. Lawrence nearly fifty years ago, and was captured at Montreal. I have seen that the whale brought here last week was only 65 feet long; I should say that the other was at least a