2 1 4 XooJogy and Comparative Anatomy 



Art. II. Observations on the Zoology and Comparative Anatomy 

 of the Skeleton of the Balcenoptera Rorqual, or Broad-nosed 

 tVhaley notv exhibiting at the Pavilion, King's Metvs, Charing 

 Cross. By Henry William Dewhurst, Esq., Surgeon, Profes- 

 sor of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy. 



GENERAL HISTORY OF THE WHALE TRIBE. 



The whales constitute a tribe of mammiferous animals 

 which, from their external appearance and peculiar habits of 

 life in their native element, the water, appear at first sight 

 to approach so near to the other kinds of oceanic inhabitants, 

 that it is no wonder the ancient writers on natural history, 

 who were but little acquainted with either the correct history 

 or structure of these creatures, should arrange them as 

 belonging to the class of Fishes. 



There are no less than five species of whale which strictly 

 appertain to the genus J5alae'na. There is the same number 

 of species of the dolphin tribe, inhabiting the northern seas ; 

 and which have been commonly considered as whales by, the 

 public, without paying any attention to their distinguishing 

 characters. 



The natural history of the whale is an object well worthy 

 the attention of the philosopher. In all probability it was 

 the whale which gave rise to the fabulous stories of hyper- 

 borean monsters; such as the kraken, which has been 

 stated to extend many thousand yards in length, like an 

 immense bank of sand, or a reef of rocks, upon the surface of 

 the water. Such exaggerations are, however, totally unne- 

 cessary for the purpose of exciting our wonder; for the 

 animals in question, in their own proper dimensions, are 

 sufficient for our astonishment. Those dimensions, when 

 sufficient time has been allowed for the full developement of 

 the animal, are certainly prodigious : — " There is no doubt," 

 observes Baron Cuvier, " that whales have been seen at cer- 

 tain epochs, and in certain seas, appearing to measure 300 ft. 

 in length, and to weigh more than 300,000 lbs. Among the 

 various species of this genus, occasionally met with at the 

 present day at a considerable distance from the arctic pole, 

 there are some measuring from 70 to 100 ft. long." 



It is in the order Cetacea that we find the largest animals ; 

 and the whale genus alone forms the most stupendous in the 

 whole range of animated nature. 



Whales generally congregate in numbers ; the male never 

 abandons the female, which suckles her young until the birth 

 of its successor. 



The Organ of SmelL — The great developement of the 



