to l^ruciure and Economy 



Communication on the Structure and Economy of the Green- 

 land Whale, made at the Royal Institution of Great 

 Britain. By J. Harwood, M.D. F.R.S., Professor of 

 Natural History in the Royal Institution. 



This discourse was illustrated by means of a veiy extensive series of 

 specimens, &c. 



There is, perhaps, no part of the history of the animal world 

 which is less generally known^ to those who have not devoted 

 particular attention to Zoology, than that of the Cetacea ; nor 

 certainly is there any, more justly entitled to our considera- 

 tion, from the sublime examples which this tribe affords of 

 Creative wisdom and power. I have, therefore, chosen the 

 Greenland whale for our consideration this evening, because 

 no individual can be expected to offer for our contemplation, 

 more impressive illustrations of the Creator's attributes, than 

 this stupendous piece of animal mechanism ; and, especially, 

 when, not contented with understanding its mere distinctive 

 characters, we regard those conditions in its existence, and 

 those curious modifications in structure, which have adapted 

 its ponderous bulk to a medium, whose specific gravity is so 

 like unto its own, and which afford to its progressive motion 

 the widest geographical range. 



Although our yearly intercourse with the cetacea during 

 some centuries, has, in modern times, materially extended our 

 knowledge of this gigantic race of beings, we should greatly 

 err in supposing, that their remarkable submarine habits and 

 economy escaped the attention of the observers of antiquity ; 

 and it would be an injustice to the memory of so true a philo- 

 sopher as Aristotle, were I now to omit to mention, that the 

 interest which was excited in his capacious mind by the won- 

 derful characters of cetaceous animals, conducted him to a 

 knowledge of the nature of these creatures, which is calculated 

 greatly to excite the surprise of those naturalists whose oppor- 

 tunities of investigation have even been the most extended. 



I shall, therefore, notice a few of his observations concerning 

 them, which may prove interesting, from their accuracy, from 

 their antiquity, and from the infant state of natural science at 

 the period in which they were written. 



