OF THE CETACEA. 59 



falls down again in a shower. (Cetaces, 308.) 

 Amidst these conflicting statements we are tlie less 

 surprised to find another opinion which embraces, if 

 it does not quite reconcile, the other two. Thus 

 Quoy and Gaimard, though they agree with Scorseby, 

 that possibly no water may sometimes be expelled 

 during expiration, yet having often observed that 

 during stormy weather the jets took place both 

 more frequently and more abundantly, account for 

 the fact on the supposition, that as it is then that 

 the Cetacea feed most freely, the projecting of the 

 water takes place chiefly when they are engaged in 

 this important process. These naturalists go fur- 

 ther ; " the habits of the smaller Cetae," they main- 

 tain, " supply a convincing proof against the opinion 

 of Mr. Scorseby ; for beyond doubt, if the jet was 

 composed only of air and condensed mucus, the 

 porpoises on our coasts would emit this vapour in a 

 similar way, according to their size ; and yet this 

 is not the case. Those who inhabit the sea-coasts 

 and great rivers, when sufficiently near, hear these 

 animals make a great noise, — to grunt like a porpoise, 

 is a proverb among sailors, but they never see any 

 apparent jet from the blow-hole." (Zoologie de 

 rUranie, p. 80. J Desmoulins expresses his opinion 

 in these words, — " It is not water, but mucosity, 

 which is expelled by the blow-holes during expira- 

 tion ; the animal spouts water only after deglutition, 

 or in the moments of rage." (Diet. Classique.) This 

 two-fold view of the matter has been adopted by an 

 eminent British naturalist, as late as the year 1831. 



