OP THE CETACEA. 67 



cliaracter of the animal, it seems desirable that 

 every opportmiity should be embraced to accumu- 

 late accurate information on the point. 



There is nearly an equal paucity of facts concern- 

 ing the senses of this order. First, in relation to 

 that of smell. Among the early fishermen and sys- 

 tematic writers this faculty was conceded, in the 

 highest possible perfection, to the whole tribe. Thus 

 Anderson, in his excellent account of Iceland and 

 Greenland, narrates that the inhabitants of the 

 Ferroe isles, when they perceived that their boats 

 were pursued by the sperm whale, which, according 

 to him, is a very dangerous species, used to throw 

 some castor overboard, which made him sink to the 

 bottom like a stone. Ginger was celebrated for 

 similar virtues, and the blood of animals still more 

 so. Chalk and sulphur had still greater powers, for 

 no fish would come near a vessel freighted with 

 these articles ; and such opinions are very prevalent 

 •with sailors up to the present time. The comparative 



