THE RIGHT WHALE. 161 



Providence has placed his chief defenses. IVith 

 his huge flukes, he strikes perpendicular blows 

 upon the water, or at any object which may annoy 

 him there, while with his tremendous head, or still 

 more fearful jaw, he destroys all which comes 

 within reach. He has likewise an acute sense of 

 hearing, although his outward ear is no larger 

 than a pin-hole. 



The right whale, on the other hand, can not, on 

 account of the peculiar conformation of his head, 

 see any object either ahead or abreast of him, but 

 distinguishes best that which approaches him from 

 behind. To protect himself, therefore, against 

 assailants whom he can not see, he is enabled to 

 sweep with his tail or flukes from one eye to the 

 other, thus rendering any approach to his body, 

 from abreast, impossible .or highly dangerous. 



The hump-back, who is but a poor mongrel, 

 partaking of the nature of both sperm and right 

 whale, invariably runs to windward on being 

 attacked, and that with such velocity as to make 

 pursuit almost useless. The only time when an 

 attempt to take one of these fish is prudent, is 

 therefore, in a cairns On such occasions the poor 

 brute runs vainly round, snuffing for the breeze, 

 and quickly falls a prey to his enemy man. 



Sperm whales are no.w much scarcer than in 



years past, owing to the number of vessels which 



annually fit out from America and various parts 



of Europe, partly or entirely in pursuit of them, 



11 



