ML125029

Media notes

NOTES: Recordist notes species as Globicephala sp. Hydrophone Navy type Q-41 with roll-off below 10,000 cps. Recordist notes: Distress call after the whale was lassoed. Almost a pure tone. Hydrophone submerged 10 feet - others of herd respond with same call. Near end of tape, blowhole noises of a lower frequency. Sound: a clear, almost birdlike whistle; plus a few bronx-cheer type blowhole noises; May have been a distress call to other animals; lassoed animal breached, blowed, sounded. Free ones circled. 2-transistor, grounded-emitter, battery-operated pre-amplifier was used. We were cruising on the sampan, "Imua" searching for cetaceans when we came into this school of Pilot Whales. They were tame, and one was soon lassoed from bowsprit pulpit. Engine was stopped and hydrophone dropped. Immediately we heard the loud, birdlike calls apparently from the captured animal, with responses from its companions who put up their heads to see what was going on. These animals are a species not yet described. Head is quite square. Animal black all over. Calls are different from G. melaena, scammoni, macrorhyncha as recorded on Wm. E. Schevill and Wm. A. Watkins' record "Whale & Porpoise Voices:, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. There is one other known recording made by Dr. Kenneth S. Norris, Vice Preside,t Research, Oceanic Foundation, which he says is not of good quality." Recorder noted as Magnemite 610E 7050 half-track. SEAOCEAN TEMPAIR: 25 TEMPWATER: 24.