320 THE BOOK OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM 



unless closely acquainted with this species, its exact form, for the 

 head is characterized by "the great height and abrupt truncation of 

 the enormous muzzle," giving the animal the appearance of having 

 been chopped off, so to speak. The mouth is situated some way 

 from the tip of the muzzle, and it is of large dimensions. The 

 general colour is black or blackish-brown above, and silver-grey 

 on the chest. 



This Sperm Whale must be a remarkable ocean wanderer. It 

 loves the warm open sea, but has been hunted so persistently that 

 it has disappeared from many of its former haunts. As showing 

 the great distance this species can travel, an instance is recorded of 

 a specimen being killed in the Atlantic Ocean which it was ascer- 

 tained had been harpooned in the Pacific. 



Gregarious in habits the Sperm Whale not only displays much 

 solicitude for the welfare of its own young, but this kinship is also 

 apparent among the adult beasts. This solicitude is, it appears, 

 restricted to the females, for we learn that young males are "far less 

 chivalrous in disposition, and will at once leave a wounded com- 

 panion to its fate." When the young Sperm Whale is born (there 

 is usually only one, but two are sometimes produced), it measures, 

 it is stated, from eleven to fourteen feet. 



It is not intended to enter into an account of Whale-hunting in 

 this book, for exhaustive descriptions of this industry may be found 

 elsewhere, and it is not in keeping with the plan already adopted 

 to set out in any lengthened manner the commercial uses of these 

 mammals of the world. It is necessary to state, however, that of all 

 the Cetaceans the Sperm Whale is the most sought after, as the 

 sperm oil yielded by the thick layer of blubber with which the body 

 is enveloped, and "the spermaceti contained in the cavity of the 

 head," are of high commercial value, and, in addition, the product 

 known as ambergris also comes from this animal. This ambergris 

 is found floating in the sea, or washed upon some shore, as the 

 Sperm Whale casts it up when an accumulation of it has gathered 

 in its intestines. It consists of the indigestible parts of various 

 marine creatures that have been swallowed, and although in days 

 gone by it was in request for medicinal purposes, it is used now only 

 in the preparation of perfumes. 



BOTTLENOSE-WHALE.— This Whale is, like the species last under 

 notice, an inhabitant of the open sea, but, in spite of this, it is of 

 no uncommon occurrence for it to be found stranded. It differs 



