VIII. THE WHALES 



The whales are visible evidences that the age of giants 

 has not passed away. These mighty animals range from 

 fifty to one hundred or more feet in length, being, despite the 



Fig. 41. — Whale and Nursing Young. 



constant warfare against them, still fairly common in many 

 seas. They are carnivorous, milk-giving animals (Fig. 41), 

 adapted to life in the ocean. They are fishlike in form, 

 with a dorsal fin. The two fore limbs are powerful pad- 

 dles with bones similar to those of the arm and hand of 

 man. The hind limbs are absent or rudimentary (Fig. 42), 

 a flat, fishlike tail taking their place, which is at once a 

 weapon of great power and a swimming screw, forcing 

 the animal along at great speed. I have followed a whale 

 in a power launch, being for some seconds near it and 



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