478 ACCOUNT OF THE ARCTIC REGIONS. 



them inhabit the sea. Some of them procure their 

 food by means of a kind of sieve, composed of two 

 fringes of whalebone ; these have no teeth. Others 

 have no whalebone; but are furnished with teeth. 

 They all have two lateral or pectoral fins, with conceal- 

 ed bones like those of a hand ; and a large flexible 

 horizontal tail, which is the principal member of 

 motion. Some have a kind of dorsal fin, which is 

 an adipose, or cartilaginous substance, without mo- 

 tion. This fin varying in form, size and position, 

 in different species, and being in a conspicuous si- 

 tuation, is well adapted for a specific distinction. 

 The appearance and dimensions of the whalebone 

 and teeth, especially the former, are other specific 

 characteristics. All whales have spiracles or blow- 

 holes, some with one, others with two openings, 

 througli which they breathe ; some have a smooth 

 skin all over the body ; others have rugae or sulci 

 about the region of the thorax and on the lower 

 jaw. And all afford, beneath the integuments, a 

 quantity of fat or blubber, from whence a useful 

 and valuable oil, the train-oil of commerce, is ex- 

 tracted. 



Bal^enoptera Gihhar (La Cepede :) — B. Physalis of 

 Linne, or Razor-hack of the whalers. 



This is the longest animal of the whale tribe ; 

 and, probably, the most powerful and bulky of 

 created beings. 



