A whaler is a specialize kind of ship, designed for processing and/or catching whales. The former included such vessels as the sail or steam-driven whaleship of the 16th to early 20th century and the floating factory or factory ship of the modern era. The latter included the whale catcher, a steam or diesel-driven vessel with a harpoon gun mounted at its bows. There were also vessels that combined the two, such as Bottlenose whalers of the late 19th and early 20th century and catcher/factory ships of the modern era.