220 ANIMAL LIFE IN THE ARCTIC REGION 



to steal from the Eskimos. In winter the foxes are often seen 

 in great numbers about the carcass of a whale or some other animal 

 and are apt to be much daubed with grease. In appearance the 

 Arctic fox resembles his cousins often seen in the Temperate Zones. 



The polar hare closely resembles the domestic variety, save 

 that its fur is pure white. It feeds chiefly on the scanty Arctic 

 vegetation in the form of lichens, moss and the bark of small 

 stunted trees. 



These are the prominent land animals of the Arctic Zone, 

 but there are various species which live chiefly or altogether in 

 the water. 



First and largest of these is the whale, the greatest of all 

 mammals. The variety which we shall treat of here is that known 

 as the Greenland or Right Whale. Its total length is from fifty 

 to seventy feet and the weight is about seventy tons. Of this 

 weight about thirty is in oil, the valuable whale oil of commerce. 

 The Eskimos use the oil for light and heat throughout the winter, 

 and before the discovery of petroleum, it formed the chief lighting 

 agent of civilization. 



The structure of the whale is like that of a gigantic fish, with 

 fish-like fins and tail. The head occupies about one-third of the 

 total length and contains rows of fine teeth which are useful to 

 it in obtaining its food, which consists chiefly of the small ocean 

 animal life. The whale opens its mouth as it rushes through the 

 water and takes in a great quantity of water containing those 

 minute forms. The jaws are then closed and the water squeezed 

 out through the teeth which retain the living food. An important 

 peculiarity of the whale is that, when it wishes to sink,,to the bottom 

 or below the surface of the water, it has the power of reducing 

 its bulk so materially by means of its muscles, that without exertion 

 it can go down as far as desired. The whales are much hunted for 

 their oil and for the substance known as whale-bone, which is 

 taken from their jaws. 



