Translation 2783

..... 229
Lesser rorquals sojourn on the northeastern side of ureeilland front
July until October, feeding on :tir.ctic cod. In autu::ln tne main body
of th,_-., anir_lals cioparts for warmer waters, but a, âew of ti-c:m stay in
the nortnerrl rej;ions almost all year round.
On th,: coasts of u:orway and ^.;ritain le^: er rorquals ïeed. on
herring and other snoal fishes in sprinU and summer; at lledvezhii
Island they feed on capelin; around Suitzbergren, on iierri.ng and si,la,l1
(.adi.cla,e;
and in the .r.arents tiea, on haddock and .iuall hc;x•ring. In
the I.iCtwfoulldl.'ant1 x•e(,;J.on the lno^it Gommorl food ].tcnl 1.'UUnl,t in the ütottl--
achs of lesser rorquals in surn.uer is capeJ.in (f3^^:j,
and herring.
followe,:: by cod
In the northe.r.^, -;)art of the Atlantic Ocean female lesser rorquals
attain sexual maturity at a body lerl&th of 'J.5 me-Gres ^ -Dossibly
at the age of two years), and wales at a body lent.,-th of 0.7 lileLlres.
It is believed that gestation lasts for about ton montns; during that
tin1e the embr,yo ,^:cows to a length of about 2.5-2.6 l,ietre;^,. Iml:•ing
the period of rnilk-feeding (four or five aionth;^ ) the calf' s length
increases to -A,..6 metres,
The females bring forth their youn,,:; between i)ct•obex and iLiarch,
almost every year; mating talces place f rom January -w i-,a;,-, ,,,os i,ly in
the warla zone. In the western nart of the Atlantic theBe dates are
somewhat dii'ferent, and the pea.k of matin-, occurs in _^'ebruary, ti.ri.th
par•turition in December.
By thè time that the ti•rrlales arrive at the
coasts of I3ewf.ourldland and horway most of the females have i'inished
suckling their calves.
Wh en. on tue surt'ace, lasser rorquals emit one, two, or more
spouts up to 2.0-2-5 metres high at ini;ervE:ls• of a few seconus. 'l'tiey
stay under water up to threc: or five minutes,
x•arely u1) to ten minutes,
accor(1].n,j; to their activity at the i;ii:le lfeec:in(^, i:ll.j;xa.tin^, 'etc.)..
They dive at an angle, and. do not dis-play thcir îlu_^es. They swim
more slowly than ottlor.rornuals, but so,.ietimes mri.:n a.wcr,Y ra.pid.ly from
a Pur ru inï; Shi p.
As a ria.1e they a.I,l ro^i.c}^ a slli.zl i)o1,`lly, and
tillles th l'ol:l.ow it closUly. Ale;r an,.ro^tch tnc.coa,s.;ts r,ioro closely
titan do ot+.er r.orf]L1e1.Ls, and enter -:ni].:1.7. bayo FLY:(1. ].'iver C'-,^tUa3.•1.eEi.
A: coin;)ared 4ritii otll(,r rox•q.ub.l s, t,ley u:ce. more ol'tel, ou,oi:ved aUlonU
ice-fl.oc;s, i„ patchcu o;' opcn wate r.
i1].'i1.•J.t Cli
on t lOJ.7 U(1.Q:Li,;,`,i i IIcI UII(? 1)r11:11i^c.}.C'ril].'].UU;; 11C1.Illilltll
^pr:ci.eG have boon found in 'tI:a.i.r C3tonlla0il, i.tiGG:3i;inei;, liver, and Ut11o:C
o 1: ^ ctJ'1^1 .