198 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF 



to pieces with his crooked fangs. It is said there exists 

 a continual and settled enmity between the narwhale 

 and the great whale ; and that they never meet without 

 engaging in combat, in which the whale receives so many 

 severe, and often deadly wounds, frequently occasioning 

 death. When the narwhale strikes its tooth or horn into 

 the side of ships, it is supposed that it is through its mis- 

 taking the vessel for its enemy the whale. The white 

 bear {Urdus Borealis vel Polaris), so common in Green- 

 land and Spitzbergen, is particularly fond of the flesh of 

 cetaceous and other oceanic large animals. He remains 

 constantly on the watch for his prey on a mass of ice, 

 or on the sea shore, and as soon as he perceives it he 

 throws himself into the water, and plunges to attack it. 

 The large and the small whales are equally the objects 

 of his eager pursuit ; but he is not successful till after 

 they have lost a great deal of blood from the wounds 

 which he has inflicted, or they have been exhausted 

 with fatigue. 



Between the sword-fish and the whale there con- 

 stantly exists a warfare. It is related by all the whalers 

 that the whale and sword-fish, whenever they meet, 

 join in combat, the latter being always the aggressor. 

 Sometimes two or more individuals combine to attack a 

 single whale; and it is inconceivable with what fury 

 they make the attack. The whale, whose only defence 

 is his tail, endeavours to strike his enemy with it, and 

 a single blow would prove mortal. But the sword-fish, 

 with astonishing agility, shuns the dreadful stroke, 

 bounds into the air, and returns upon his huge adver- 

 sary, plunging the rugged weapon with which he is 

 furnished into his back. The whale is still more irri- 

 tated by this wound, which only becomes fatal when it 

 penetrates through the fat. The engagement ceases 



