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Show 1881.] THE WHALE-FISHERY OF THE BASQUE PROVINCES. 969 1. On the Whale-Fishery of the Basque Provinces of Spain. By CLEMENTS R. M A R K H A M , F.R.S. (Communicated by Professor FLOWER.) [Eeceived November 14, 1881.] My attention was originally drawn to the Basque Whale-Fishery by observing, during my study of Arctic literature, and especially while editing the voyages of William Baffin, that the first English whaling vessels were in the habit of shipping a boat's crew of Basques to harpoon the whales. I was informed that a whale, the Balana Biscayensis, had frequented the coasts of the Basque provinces from time immemorial; but that it had become nearly extinct in the 17th century, when the Basques began to extend their voyages further north and across the Arctic Circle. Hence the Basques had become dexterous whale-fishers long before any other European people had entered upon that perilous occupation. I found that several naturalists had investigated the history of the Biscayan whale, notably Eschricht and Reinhardt in Denmark, M. Fischer in France, and Professor Flower in this country. Full information respecting these investigations is contained in Eschricht and Reinhardt's memoir published by the Ray Society in 1866 ; and many interesting particulars have since been brought to light respecting the whale-fishery so far as it relates to the French Basques, and to the ports of Bayonne, Biarritz, Guetary, St Jean de Luz, and Ciboure. But in looking through the books and papers on the subject, a list of which was kindly furnished to m e by Professor Flower last June, I did not find any particulars respecting the Spanish ports, where the Basque sailors are more numerous than in France, and inhabit a more extensive line of coast. I therefore thought it possible that, by visiting those ports and making inquiries respecting the literature of the provinces in which they are situated, and the local traditions, I might be able to collect some further information touching the whale-fishery of the Basques. It has now been suggested to me that such particulars as I have succeeded in bringing together, from their bearing on the history of the Balana Biscayensis, a nearly extinct animal, would be interesting to the Zoological Society. I therefore have pleasure in communicating the following notes on the subject. The coast which I personally visited this summer extends from the French frontier to the Cabo de Penas, including the Basque provinces of Guipuzcoa and Vizcaya, and the purely Spanish provinces of Santander and the Asturias. It is for the most part bold and rocky, with lofty cliffs of cretaceous limestone, having strata hove up at great angles. Occasionally there is a stretch of sand, generally at the mouths of rivers, and here and there a rocky little boat-harbour. Forests of oak and chestnut clothe the mountains, with occasionally open spaces of fern and heather and bushes of arbutus and myrtle. |