close to shore. Logbook data on some of these “summer seasons” will be described later. The season was somewhat shorter than for north-bound whales, indicating that the whales were travelling in a more compact group, although the sightings were approximately the same as for the May/August season. Usually south-bound whales were observed and hunted for the two months from late September to late November, but in one exceptional season humpbacks were caught until December 11. Cows accompanied by calves were frequently noted amongst the south-bound whales, and occasionally the whales were seen feeding.

The course south of Whangamumu follows parallel to the coast, taking some of the whales into Hauraki Gulf (Fig. 2). Ten humpbacks were sighted off Waipu Cove, just north of Bream Tail by the master of the Navy Department vessel “Endeavour” when operating in the area for a few days during November. Between October and January six were reported by keepers at Mokohinau lighthouse, 35 miles east of Waipu Cove, while two vessels sighted approximately 15 near the Hen and Chicken Islands and two near Little Barrier in early January, 1954.

The masters and crew of five fishing vessels which work from Auckland, and Messrs. Cole and Nolan, of the Kia Ora Fish Mart, all informed me that they frequently sight south-bound humpbacks inside and at the approaches to Hauraki Gulf. Some pass between Little Barrier and Cape Rodney on the mainland, and others between Little and Great Barrier Islands, especially during November. They have been seen as close inshore as the channel between Kawau Island and the mainland in November, and near Tiri Tiri Island, 10 miles to the south. According to the fishermen, the distance which whales extend south into the Gulf and the time they spend in this area varies from year to year, depending on the local blooming of whalefeed. This occurs at any time between September and March, and is usually more abundant in the Bay of Plenty. When whalefeed is plentiful in Hauraki Gulf at this season, many of the whales come well into the Gulf and are seen cruising slowly as though feeding as far south as the Noises, which are a group of small islets about 15 miles offshore from Auckland City. During such seasons I am informed that humpbacks may remain until late January and from a small vessel servicing the Mokohinau lighthouse in mid-January, five humpbacks were sighted as the vessel travelled up Hauraki Gulf. Untortunately no collections of whalefeed have yet been received for identification, but the description given to me strongly suggest that it is Munida sp.

During a survey combined with whale marking carried out by Mr. T. Norton and the writer from Marine Department Fisheries patrol vessels for three weeks in October, 1955, only five humpbacks were encountered in the Hauraki Gulf area. Two schools with 30 to 40 sei whales in each were encountered, one school being near Poor Knights Island and the other near the northern end of Little Barrier Island. Both groups appeared to be feeding and remained almost stationary in their respective areas for more than two weeks before dispersing. The survey and many enquiries during and after the project, failed to reveal the local route followed in 1955 by south-bound humpbacks which earlier passed Cape Brett.

In most seasons, while some humpbacks are entering Hauraki Gulf, others at the same time (October to December) pass outside the Barrier Islands or between Great Barrier and Coromandel Peninsula to enter the Bay of Plenty, and are joined by those from the Hauraki Gulf. En route they are seen passing Cuvier Island (20 in November) and then between the eastern Coromandel coast and Mayor Island to pass north of Karewa (Mr. W. Wellington) and close to the northern side of Motiti Island, where they turn in an easterly direction to travel at about two to five miles offshore until they meet the north-westerly trend of the coast beyond Opotiki to Cape Runaway (Mr. E. W. Gilliver).

A series of small shore whaling stations commenced operations along the eastern Bay of Plenty coast in the 1830's and 1840's and were continued by Maoris using

open boats until 1933 (Dawbin 1954). The stations from west to east were as follows: Whale Island, Torere (10 miles east of Opotiki near the head of Bay of Plenty), Maraenui, Whitianga, Omaio, Awanui Bay, Te Kaha, Maungaroa, Pahou, Waihau Bay, Whangaparaoa, and Whaiti (see Fig. 1, Nos. 85–74). A number of former whalers at these stations have been interviewed, but I am especially indebted to Mr. H. Ngamotu, of Te Kaha, for data on whaling in this area, and the chief points relevant to this paper are that humpbacks have been the main catch since 1900, at least, and it was and still is the only species of whale sighted frequntly. All the catches were south-bound whales taken in the spring months (mainly October and November), and as the catches were made by the old techniques using hand harpoons and rowing boats, they represent only a small proportion of the actual totals sighted. The proximity of adjacent stations produced such competition for the same whales that individual stations averaged only a few whales per season, but the writer has not yet been able to obtain accurate data on the total catch per season for the area as a whole. The total is not likely to exceed 30 humpbacks per season, but it is clear that humpbacks enter the eastern part of the Bay of Plenty in considerable numbers before they pass the obstructing land masses around to East Cape. Their rate of progress through this area is slower than when the whales are north-bound, and this may be due to feeding, as there are usually numerous patches of red “shrimps” sometimes square miles in area in the Bay of Plenty between September and March. The whales are not, however, seen regularly in these waters after the end of November.

They have been observed near Te Araroa in December, but relatively few reports of positive sightings have been obtained from the North Island coast south of East Cape. In contrast to the numerous reports of north-bound whales passing within sight of Portland Island lighthouse, there were only four reports of south-bound whales during three years' observations. All were sighted in late October, and fishermen have not reported any between this locality and East Cape; but two humpbacks offshore from Tolaga Bay were reported from H.M.N.Z.S. “Lachlan” when passing the area in early December. The paucity of reports suggests that after rounding East Cape, the majority of the whales continue due south or south-east, which would take them an increasing distance from land as they moved further south. Some, however, come back to the coastline as Mr. P. A. Munro has reported a number of sightings from his trawler, which works between Mahia Peninsula and Cape Turnagain. He reported humpbacks off the east coast of Mahia Peninsula in December and January, and on a line between the above and Cape Kidnappers—i.e., about 25–30 miles east of Napier. He has observed them in small schools from October onwards along this route, and south of Cape Kidnappers he has observed them in greatest numbers offshore in water of 20 fathoms between Black Head and Cape Turnagain. Along the whole of the route observed by Mr. Munro he has noted that fish were especially abundant in the areas where whales were cruising, and although he has not reported whales feeding, his descriptions strongly suggest that whales and fish were both congregating at patches of feed as described previously for the Bay of Plenty.

No south-bound humpbacks were reported from Castlepoint lighthouse, but the crews of trawlers, especially of the “Maimai” and “Thomas Currel”, when working in the area in October and November, sighted sporadic humpbacks and occasionally a pair travelling south, while from Cape Palliser lighthouse 20 humpbacks were reported between early October and the end of December. From, along the east coast of the South Island all lighthouse returns for October to January were negative except for a single sighting from Cape Saunders in October and two from Nugget Point in November. In contrast to the winter month sightings, fishing and coastal vessels also report that they rarely see a humpback in these months, but H.M.N.Z.S. “Lachlan” encountered six to eight near Pegasus Bay in November, 1952,