OLD WHALING DAYS. 211 



Whale. A general term for various marine animals of the 

 order, Cetacea, including the most colossal of all 

 animated beings. From their general form and mode 

 of life, they are frequently confounded with fish, from 

 which, however, they differ essentially in their organiza- 

 tion. As they are warm-blooded, ascend to the surface 

 to breathe air, produce their young alive, and suckle 

 them as do the land mammalia. The cetacea are 

 divided into two sections : i. Those having horny 

 plates, called baleen, or "whalebone," growing from the 

 palate instead of teeth, and including the right 

 whales and rorquals, or finners and hump-backs. 2. 

 Those having true teeth and no whale-bone. To this 

 group belong the sperm-whale and various forms of 

 bottle-noses, black fish, grampusses, narwhals, dolphins, 

 porpoises, etc. To the large species of many of these 

 the term " whale " is often applied. 



Whale Boat. A boat varying from 24 to 26 feet in length, 

 and manned by six men. Some few are longer, and 

 manned by seven men but they are not so handy. 



