Spatial and Seasonal Distribution of American Whaling and Whales in the Age of Sail
Figure 3
All observations of whales by season.
Seasonal locations of whaling vessels in: December – February (A), March – May (B), June – August (C) and September – November (D). The data were extracted from a sample of American whaling logbooks for voyages departing between 1780 and 1920. Days with no whale observations and days with observations of sperm, right, bowhead, humpback, and gray whales and locations of key ports were distinguished by the colors indicated. The seasons were defined beginning with December to best reflect the similarities in distribution patterns within seasons.