THE WHALE. 



H7 



u 

 o 



which is the seat of a muscular substance attached 

 by its anterior extremity to the surface of the skull, 

 and also attached, by its posterior and inferior ex- 

 tremity, to the interior of the skull, at some depth 

 in the blowing canal, a, a. The part of this mus- 

 cle that penetrates the bony canal, is of a conical 

 form, the apex downward, or within, represented at 

 b, in the annexed figure of a vertical section of the 

 skull; 



Anterior portion. 



so that, when this interior portion contracts, the 

 muscular cone &, is drawn tight into the orifice, and 

 completely closes the breathing canal a, a; while, 

 on the other hand, the action of the external part of 

 the muscle draws the conical plug forward and up- 

 ward, and affords a free passage for the air in respi- 

 ration. This beautiful structure it is, (aided, per- 

 haps, by the epiglottis,) that enables the animal, 



