396 MAMMALIA — GRAMPUS... SEA-UNICORN. 



and such is its violence in pursuit of its prey, that it will follow i shoal 

 of small fish up a fresh water river, from whence it finds a difficulty to 

 return. These creatures have been often taken in the river Thames, both 

 above and below London bridge ; and it is curious to observe with what 

 dexterity they avoid their pursuers, and how momentarily they recover their 

 breath above the water. It is usual to spread four or five boats over the 

 part of the river where they are seen, and to fire at them the instant they 

 rise. One porpoise yields about a hogshead of oil, and therefore renders its 

 capture an object of consideration. 



It is said that, whenever a porpoise happens to be wounded, all the rest 

 of its companions will immediately fall upon and devour it. 



THE GRAMPUS* 



Is about twenty-four feet in length. It is a clumsy, unsightly fish, dark on 

 the upper part, but very white below. The lower jaw is considerably wider 

 than the upper. The back fin sometimes measures six feet. The grampus 

 is an exceedingly voracious animal, which does not always spare even its 

 own kind. Packs of them are said to attack the Greenland whale, like bull 

 dogs, and tear off his flesh in masses. It, however, displays -the utmost 

 solicitude and affection for its young. Little oil is afforded by the grampus. 

 It floats deep in the water, and would seldom be caught, did not its eager- 

 ness for prey prompt it to rush into shallow waters, where it is killed, but 

 not till it has made a desperate and formidable resistance. 



THE NARWHAL, OR SEA-UNICORN, 2 



Seldom exceeds twenty-two feet in length. Its body is slenderer than 

 that of the whale, and its fat not so abundant. But this great animal is 

 sufficiently distinguished from all others of the deep, by its tooth or teeth, 

 which stand pointing directly forward from the upper jaw, and are from nine 

 to ten feet long. In all the variety of weapons with which nature has 

 armed her various tribes, there is not one so large or so formidable as this. 

 This terrible weapon is generally found single ; and some are of opinion 

 that the animal is furnished with but one by nature : but there is at present 

 the skull of a narwhal, at the Stadthouse at Amsterdam, with two teeth. 

 The tooth, or as some are pleased to call it, the horn of the narwhal, is as 



1 Dclphinus grampus, Desm. 



2 Monodon mnnoccros. This is the only one of" the genus. The characteristics are one 

 or two large tusks in the upper jaw ; general form analogous to the dolphin's ; orifice of 

 the spiracles united on the top of the head ; a longitudinal dorsal crest. 



