10 NATURAL HISTORY OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



"Among the whole order of cetaceans there is none which respires with the same regularity as 

 the Cachalot. When emerging to the surface, the first portion of the animal seen is the region of 

 the hump; then it raises its head, and respires slowly for the space of about three seconds, sending 

 forth diagonally a volume of whitish vapor like an escape of steam; this is called the ' spout,' which, 

 in ordinary weather, may be seen from the mast-head at a distance of three to five miles. In respir- 

 ing at its leisure, tbe animal sometimes makes no headway through the water; at other times it moves 

 quietly along at the rate of about two or three miles an hour; or if ' making a passage' from one feed- 

 ing ground to another, it may accelerate its velocity. When in progressive motion, after 'blowing,' 

 hardly an instant is required for inspiration, when the animal dips its head a little, and moment- 

 arily disappears; then it rises again to blow as before, each respiration being made with great 

 regularity. * * * * With the largest bulls, the time occupied in performing one inspiration is 

 from ten to twelve seconds, and the animal will generally blow from sixty to seventy-five times at 

 a rising, remaining upon the surface of the sea about twelve minutes. As soon as 'his spotitings 

 are out' he pitches headforemost downwards; then 'rounding out,' turns his flukes high in the air, 

 and, when gaining nearly a perpendicular attitude, descends to a great depth, and there remains 

 from fifteen minutes to an hour and a quarter. 



"When the Cachalot becomes alarmed or is sporting in the ocean, its actions are widely 

 different. If frightened, it has the faculty of instantly sinking, although nearly in a horizontal 

 attitude. When merely startled, it will frequently assume a perpendicular position, with the 

 greater portion of its head above water, to look and listen ; or, when lying on the surface, it will 

 sweep around from side to side with its flukes to ascertain whether there is any object within 

 reach. At other times, when at play, it will elevate its flukes high in the air, then strike them 

 down with great force, which raises the water into spray and foam about it; this is termed 'lob- 

 tailing.' Oftentimes it descends a few fathoms beneath the waves; then, giving a powerful shoot 

 nearly out of the water, at aii angle of 45 or less, falls on its side, corning down with a heavy 

 splash, producing a pyramid of foam which may be seen from the masthead on a clear day, at 

 least ten miles, and is of great advantage to the whaler when searching for his prey. 

 When individually attacked it makes a desperate struggle for life, and often escapes after a hard 

 contest. Nevertheless, it is not an unusual occurrence for the oldest males to be taken with but 

 little effort on the part of the whaler. After being struck, the animal will oftentimes lie for a few 

 moments on the water as if paralyzed, which affords the active man of the lance opportunity to 

 dart his weapon effectually and complete the capture." ' 



Owing to the peculiar shape and position of the mouth, the Sperm Whale has to turn upon its 

 side to seize large objects between its jaws, and when one of them attacks a boat, it is in a reversed 

 position, holding its lower jaw above the object it is trying to bite, as is shown in many pictures of 

 whaling adventure. 



FOOD. The food of this species consists of squids and of various kinds of fish. Couch tells 

 of a y<nmg <nie, twenty feet long, taken on the coast of Cornwall, which had three hundred mack- 

 erel in its stomach. Captain Atwood states that when struck by the harpoon they eject from the 

 stomach quantities of large squids. 



REPRODUCTION. They are said to breed at all seasons of the year. Scammon states that the 

 time of gestation is supposed to be ten months, that the number of cubs is rarely two, never more, 

 and that they are about one-fourth the length of their mother. In suckling the female reclines 

 upon her side in the water. 



1 SCAMMON, CHARLES M. : The Marine Mammals of tlio Northwestern Coast of North America, described and 

 and illustrated, together with an account of the American Whale Fishery. i?au Francisco, 1874, pp. 74-84. 



