258 DzvcUcrs of the Sea and Shore 



whales and sharks. Much misconception, however, 

 exists regarding these creatures. Each comprises a 

 numerous group. Not all whales are the large, pic- 

 turesque animals romantically featured in stories; not 

 all sharks are dangerous. 



The whales, in modern classification, belong to 

 that order of mammals distinguished by the Greek 

 name Cetacea, a word meaning "sea monster" and 

 once indiscriminately applied by the ancient mariner 

 of the Mediterranean to all large and strange oceanic 

 creatures. Now, as the cetaceans a ^e mammals, 

 and since w^e know that mammals are warm-blooded, 

 lung-breathing animals which suckle their young, it 

 will be seen that the whales are very far from being 

 fishes. In the whales, however, the hairy coat that is 

 usually characteristic of mammals has almost entirely 

 disappeared, its property of protecting the animal from 

 the cold having in this instance been assumed by the 

 thick layer of peculiar fat, called blubber, under the 

 smooth skin. The only reminder of a former hairy 

 coat is to be found in some very young w^hales, wherein 

 the presence of a few^ bristles about the lips indicate a 

 hirsute ancestor. Indeed, one of the striking charac- 

 teristics of these creatures is the total dissimilarity of 

 their outward appearance to other mammals. Even in- 

 ternally many modifications are to be found. The hind 

 legs have disappeared, but they have left within the 

 body remnants of the pelvis and thigh bones; in some 

 instances the leg bones themselves still remain. The 

 peculiarity of the fore limbs is quite marked in that the 

 arm bone is very short and broad; whereas in other 

 mammals all agree in having the same number of joints 



