THE ORDER CETACEA. 165 



is very remarkable on account of its length. Sir Robert 

 Sibbald compares it to the mizen mast of a vessel. 



According to Captain Anderson, this species is farther 

 distinguished by having three bunches or protuberances 

 towards the extremity of the back ; the first is eighteen 

 inches high ; the second six inches ; and the last only 

 three inches. The same historian observes, that he was 

 informed by the captain of a whale ship, that he saw on 

 the coast of Greenland a great number of this species 

 of whale, at the head of which was one of one hundred 

 feet long, and which appeared to be the leader, which, on 

 the appearance of the ship, gave such a terrible shout, 

 spouting water at the same time, as to shake the vessel. 

 At this signal the whole made a precipitate retreat. 



This species of the Cachalots is gregarious, frequent- 

 ing the seas about the North Cape, and the coasts of 

 Finmark, the Atlantic Ocean, the Arctic Icy Ocean, and 

 particularly in the Greenland Seas, and about the Orkney 

 Islands* They are very wild and difficult to wound, 

 and are consequently but rarely taken. It appears that 

 the harpoon can only pierce them in one or two places 

 near the pectoral fins. 



The fat or blubber is very tendinous, and yields but a 

 small proportion of oil. 



SPECIES VII. 



THE PHYSETER BIDENS SOWERBY/, 



OR THE 



TWO-TOOTHED CACHALOT OF SOWERBY. 



Mr. Sowerby, to whose kindness I am indebted for 

 the representation and description of this species of 



* Histoire Naturelle des Cetacees, p. 242. 



