Table 3. Summary of population data in relation to the number of fossil cetaceans specimens collected per decade. Data for this table was complied from the FLMNH, UCMP, LACM, SDMNH, and USNM specimen databases. Entries in each cell represent the number of fossil specimens found divided by the population (multiplied by 100,000 just for presentation purposes). Note that there is no discernable relationship between population and the number of fossils found, which would be indicated by a steady value or steadily changing value in each column. In fact, spikes (shown in bold) in the values are caused by spikes in the number of fossils collected and can be attributed to individual collectors. For California, it is attributable to L.G. Barnes; for North Carolina, it is attributable to P.J. Harmatuk; and for Oregon, it is attributable to D. Emlong.
 

 
Year
California
Florida
North Carolina
Oregon
 
1990
0.25
3.43
5.38
0.87
 
1980
0.95
0.88
46.60
17.70
 
1970
3.46
1.72
25.80
40.19
 
1960
0.41
0.28
0.08
14.33
 
1950
0.32
0.15
0.09
0.58
 
1940
0.81
0.28
0.21
0.87
 
1930
0.49
0.42
0.11
1.04
 
1920
0.26
3.04
0.13
1.87
 
1910
0.05
0.71
0.15
1.50
 
1900
0.09
0.20
0.18
2.16