252 HISTORY AND DETAILS OF WHALING. 



The whole number of teeth in a sperm whale is about forty- 

 two ; they are wholly in the lower jaw, which alone is mova- 

 ble, with the exception of a natural movement of the entire 

 head of the fish. 



The teeth admirably fit into sockets in the upper jaw. When 

 the whale is in search for his food, or contending with his foes, 

 he drops his lower jaw, if he sees fit, nearly to a right angle 

 with the under part of his body, and then brings his jaws to- 

 gether with incredible energy and quickness. 



Sperm whales engage in fearful and dreadful struggles and 

 conflicts with each other. One was captured, a few years 

 since, having his lower jaw, which was more than fifteen feet 

 long, and studded with sharp-pointed teeth, twisted entirely 

 around at a right angle with his body ; he was swimming in 

 that manner when he was harpooned. This was an instance 

 of a most desperate encounter. Another whale was captured 

 having a part of his enormous jaw broken entirely off. The 

 front and sides of their heads, as well as their bodies, not un- 

 frequently exhibit deep lines or furrows produced by the teeth 

 of some powerful antagonist. 



It is supposed that, as the sperm whale advances in age, his 

 head not only retains its ordinary proportions, and to appear- 

 ance becomes enlarged, but the truth is, the other parts of his 

 body, especially his extremities, do actually diminish in bulk 

 and circumference. 



In some instances, more oil has been taken out of the head 

 of a sperm whale than from the other part of his body. 



The principal food of the sperm whale is "squid," a mollus- 

 cous animal. " This is an animal of so curious an order as to 

 merit a word of special notice. The principal peculiarity of 

 this molluscous tribe is the possession of powerful tentacula 

 or arms, ranged round the mouth, and provided with suckers, 

 which give them the power of adhering to rocks or any other 

 substances with surprising tenacity. Some of this tribe attain 

 to a great size, and, as large as the whale is, will furnish it 



