THE ORDER CETACEA. 



141 



numerous little herds of half a dozen or more together. 

 Each herd is most frequently composed of animals of 

 the same sex. 



When harpooned, the narwhale dives with consider- 

 able velocity, and in the same way as the mysticetus, 

 but not to the same extent. In general it descends 

 about two hundred fathoms, then returning to the sur- 

 face, is dispatched with the whale lance in a very few 

 minutes. 



The following table contains the dimensions of a male 

 narwhale, killed near Spitzbergen, in 1817, from the 

 observations of Mr. Scoresby: — 



Length, exclusive of the tusk 



of the tusk, externally 

 diameter at the base . . 

 from the snout to the eyes 



— fins 



■ — back ridge 



— vent 



Feet. Inches. 



15 



Circumference, 4£ inches from the snout 



at the eyes and blow-hole 



just before the fins . . 



at the fore part of the 



back ridge .... 



vent 



5 

 

 1 

 3 

 6 

 9 

 3 

 5 



7 



8 

 5 

 



2* 



n 

 n 











5 



3i 



5 



5 



8 



3£ 



H 



71 



Blow-hole, length 1 1, in breadth . . . 



Tail, 14 inches 3 



Fins, 13 inches 



The heart weighed 1 1 lb. ; the blood, an hour and a 

 half after death, was at the temperature of 97- 



Crantz* states that the tusk of the narwhale was 



* Crantz's History of Greenland, 1767, vol. i. p. 112. 



