WHALES IN THE HARBOUR.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3378, 6 January 1920, Page 5

WHALES IN THE HARBOUR.

AN UNUSUAL INCIDENT. Much excitement was manifest at Kohimaramara on .Monday afternoon‘ when what at first sight appeared tdr” be a shark was descried from the‘ beach. -A spout of water following thé‘. apearancg of the big fish, however, proved it to be a whale. Word quiclr.-r Iy passed along the beach, which was!‘ f soon lined with-spectators,‘ who be- " came greatlyexcited as,» intermittently, the whale shot a sparv inte the air. A numlber of people who were disporting themselves in the “briny,s’* hurriedly left -the Water in alarm, while others contemplating a “dip” suddenly changed their minds ‘and retired to dress-. again - When first noticed the n:amzn:ll was” but a few hundred feet from the beach, and at one time came quite close to a; sailing boat at anchor. It then turned, and made for Rangitoto, in which’ vicinity it remained for some time, blowing as before. ‘At; this stage it ‘ was observed that it had been joined by another whale, for two distinct forms appeared to view above the sure face of the sea, and two columns of spray appeared at intervals. After?‘ awhile the strange visitants disap-. pearcd, apparently moving in the di~« Ifection-of Motutapu. ' . The length of the whales seen could" not have beenmore. than twelve feet. This is .a comparatively small size, since the larger members of the farm» ily measure nearly one hundred feet.They are ‘chiefly hunted for their. oil and baleen, or whalebone. Ambergris, from which certain perfumes are" manufactured, is also obtained from‘ the sperm whale.——Auckland Star.