SCIENTIFIC TRACTS. 



9 



NUMBER XVIII. 



WHALE FISHERY. 



INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



THERE are many circumstances which unite to give 

 interest to everything relating to the huge animal, the 

 method of whose capture is to be the subject of the fol- 

 lowing Tract. We shall first briefly allude to some of 

 these circumstances, and then proceed to describe in de- 

 tail the animating scenes which are presented in these 

 .terrific conflicts between human ingenuity on the one 

 hand and brute, but monstrous power, on the other. 



1. The Structure of the Whale. Most of the inhabi- 

 tants of the sea breathe no air their blood is cold and 

 their young is produced by spawn, which is alwavs aban- 

 doned by the parent to the winds and waves. The family 

 of cetaceous animals, however, have warm blood they 

 breathe the air they produce living offspring, which they 

 cherish and protect while young. These things occasion 

 a great difference of structure. They breathe. Conse- 

 quently, they are generally near the surface of the w r ater, 

 and often come to it to take breath, giving a sort of puflT, 

 from which the sailors have given them all the name of 

 blowers. They are warm blooded. They therefore have 

 a thick coating of fat for clothing. It is for this clothing 

 that they are chiefly valuable to man. 



2. Tlie Commercial Importance, of the Whale I''i>/tf>ry. 

 A very large amount of capital, both in the shape of 

 money and of men, is employed in this trade, from this 

 country. This amount, too, is increasing. And from 

 present appearances it is probable that it will increase 



VOL. i. NO. xvin. 38 



