3 



THE FOOD OF ANIMALS 



Greenland Whale. The teeth have here been superseded in 

 favour of a complex arrangement for catching the diminutive 

 prey, and at the same time for getting rid of the superfluous 

 water. 



The capture-apparatus consists of some 400 horny plates, 

 composed of the so-called whalebone, which grow down from 



the roof of the mouth, and are placed in 

 two rows, with their flat surfaces directed 

 to the front and back. The curved inner 

 edge of each plate is frayed out into innu- 

 merable slender fibres, which, with the help 

 of the tongue, constitute a very effective 

 strainer (fig. 322). When a sufficiently 

 large mouthful of food has thus been sepa- 

 rated from the sea-water, it is swallowed, 

 and the straining process recommences. 

 When it is mentioned that a Greenland 



Fig. 322. Baleen or 



Whalebone 



a, three plates cut through, showing 

 frayed edges; b, a pair of plates seen Whale 6O feet long is furnished with 

 from the front. r 1 i i r 1 i i 



some 32 cwt. of whalebone, of which the 



largest plates are as much as 15 feet long, the huge size of this 

 strainer will be appreciated. 



