138 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF 



It cannot, however, be supposed, according to the 

 opinions of Mr. O'Reilly and others, that it is used for 

 the purpose of digging the sea plants from the rocks at 

 great depths, nor with the intent of driving from their 

 retreats the shrimps, molluscse, vermes, and other minute 

 animals which form his food, for this reason, that they 

 are found commonly in deep seas, where the narwhale 

 would be incapable of surviving under the immense 

 pressure of the column of water resting on the bottom. 



I may observe that the tooth or tusk of this animal 

 (like the tusks of the Trichecus Rosmarus, or Arctic 

 Walrus) is extremely compact in its tissue, and contains 

 more phosphate and carbonate of lime than common bone. 

 These animals do not appear to have any organs of voice; 

 the females produce each a single young at birth, and 

 this they nourish for several months with milk, supplied 

 from teats that are situated near the origin of their tail. 

 A quantity of fat or blubber, from two to three inches 

 and a half in thickness, and amounting sometimes to 

 about half a ton, encompasses the whole body. This 

 affords a very large proportion of very fine oil. 



The skull of the narwhale, like those of the delphinus, 

 deductor, beluga, grampus, porpoise, dolphin, &c, is 

 concave above, and sends forth a large flat wedge-shaped 

 process in front, which affords sockets for the tusks. 

 Upon this process is a bed of fat, extending to the thick- 

 ness of ten or twelve inches horizontally (as the animal 

 swims) or eight or nine perpendicularly. This fat gives 

 a rounded form to the head; and, by its greater or lesser 

 depositions, occasions a considerable difference in the 



Tortoiseshell, &c, 189, Fleet Street, and another at a [Comb Manu- 

 facturer's in Saint Martin's Court, Leicester Square. They are well worth 

 the reader's examination. 



