THE SPERM WHALE 121 



upper jaw near the outer margin of the palate (Plate VII, fig. 3). In about 50 per cent of 

 whales examined rudimentary teeth were also present in the upper jaw, from one to 

 seven a side being present, though in one instance there were eleven on one side. They 

 are small curved teeth either completely embedded, or with the tips only cutting the 

 gum, and are usually placed internally to the sockets which accommodate the tips of the 

 lower teeth (Plate VII, fig. 3). Occasionally they occur in the sides of the sockets, in 

 which position they are usually much worn down by contact with the lower teeth. No 

 significant difference in the number of lower or upper teeth has been found between 

 the Sperm whales from South Georgia and South Africa, nor is there any sexual 

 difference in the number of lower teeth. It appears however that in the females the 

 upper teeth are not developed so frequently as in the males, and that when they are 

 present they are fewer in number. No correlation has been found between the number 

 of teeth present and the length of the whale. Table VII shows the occurrence of teeth 

 in the whales examined. 



Table VII. Sperm whale. Occurrence of teeth in upper and lower jaws 



