THE ORDER CETACEA. 153 



that a larger collection of ambergrease in the abdomen of 

 the whale is a source of disease, and probably the cause of its 

 death. As soon as the whale seamen capture a whale of 

 this description, torpid, sickly, emaciated, or one which re- 

 tains its faeces on being struck, they immediately either cut 

 up the before-mentioned protuberance (if there be any), or 

 they rip open its bowels from the anal orifice, and find the 

 ambergrease sometimes in one, at others in different lumps, 

 varying from one pound to twenty or thirty pounds in weight, 

 and from three to twelve inches in diameter ; they are ge- 

 nerally found at the distance of two, but most frequently at 

 about six or seven feet from the anus, and never higher up 

 in the intestinal canal ; which, according to their description, 

 is in all probability the intestinum ccecum* hitherto mistaken 

 for a peculiar bag made by nature for the secretion and col- 

 lection of this singular substance. That the part they cut 

 open to get the ambergrease is no other than the intestinal 

 canal is certain, because they commence their incision at the 

 anus, and find the faeces, which it is impossible to mistake. 

 The ambergrease they find is not so hard as that obtained 

 on the sea or sea-coast, but soon grows hard in the air ; 

 when first taken out it has nearly the same colour, and the 

 same disagreeable odour, though not so strong as the liquid 

 faeces ; but, on exposing it to the air, it by degrees not only 

 grows greyish, and its surface is covered with a greyish dust, 

 like old chocolate, but it also loses its disagreeable smell, and, 

 when kept for a certain length of time, acquires the smell 

 which is so agreeable to most persons, and particularly by the 

 fair sex, with whom its essence forms an essential ingredient 

 of the toilet. 



In considering whether there is any material difference 

 between the intestinal and the sea or sea-coast ambergrease, 

 Dr. Swediaur refutes the erroneous opinion, that all amber- 

 grease found in whales is of an inferior quality, and therefore 



* The first of the large intestines. 



