494 ACCOUNT OF THE AllCTIC REGIONS. 



false, are slender for the size of the animal; The 

 sternum is of the shape of a heart, with the hroad- 

 est part forward. Two of the false ribs on each side, 

 joined by cartilages to the 6th true rib ; the rest are 

 detached. 



The principle food of the narwal seems to be 

 molluscous animals. In the stomachs of several that 

 I have examined,- were numerous remains of sepiae. 



Narwals are quick, active, inoffensive animals. 

 They swim with considerable velocity. When re- 

 spiring at the surface, they frequently lay motion- 

 less for several minutes, with their backs and heads 

 just appearing above the water. They are of a 

 somewhat gregarious disposition, often appearing in 

 numerous little herds of half a dozen, or more, to- 

 gether. Each herd is most frequently composed of 

 animals of the same sex. 



When harpooned, the narwal dives in the same 

 way, and with almost the same velocity as the mys- 

 ticetus, but not to the same extent. It generally 

 descends about 200 fathoms, then returns to the sur-> 

 face, and is dispatched with a lance in a few mi- 

 nutes. 



The only good description of the common narwal 

 hitherto published, is contained in the Memoirs of 

 the Wernerian Society, vol. i. p. 131. It was writ- 

 ten by Dr Fleming, who had an opportunity of in- 

 specting a small animal of this species, that was 

 stranded on one of the Shetland islands in the year 



3 



