Description of a " White Fish,'' or " White Wliak:' 611 



Crantz, ^. ;!=29; Anderson, % 2=16 ; as our specimen has 

 V y=37, and at* there are indications, as already stated, 

 that two on each side have been dropped l)e]ow, and one 

 on the right side above, the full number is doubtless 42. 

 These dilTerences in the enumeration of the teeth depend, 

 as stated by Cuvier, on the age of the animal, — the shed- 

 ding of them beginning quite early, and eventually, as 

 stated by Anderson, the upper ones are all lost; so that 

 this last-mentioned observer is disposed to place the 

 "white whale'' among the cachalots, or sperm whales. 



Habits. I am informed by Mr. J. A. Cutting, the pro- 

 prietor of the Aquarial Gardens, and who is a very careful 

 and trustworthy observer, that this animal, during his con- 

 finement, showed some capacity for education. He was 

 sufficiently well trained to allow himself to be harnessed 

 to a car, in which he drew a young lady around the tank ; 

 he learned to recognize his keeper, would allow himself to 

 be handled by him, and at the proper time would come and 

 put his head out of the water to receive the harness or take 

 food. 



At times, he showed a playful disposition, and amused 

 himself sometimes with splashing about in the water, and 

 at others with tossing stones with his mouth. He often 

 took in his mouth a sturgeon and a small shark which 

 were confined in the same tank, and, after playing with 

 them for a while, allowed them to go unharmed. 



Mr. Cutting states that the white whale was less docile 

 than the Delphinus tursio, who was for a time a compan- 

 ion with him in the tank. 



Explanation of Plate XII. 



Fig. 1. Side view of the whole animal, on a scale of 

 one inch to a foot. 



Fig. 2. The head seen from above, showing the dark 

 bands, and the unsymmetrical blow-hole. 



