WHALES. 



261 



From these animals is obtained spermaceti, a white, crys- 

 talline substance, that is found in the right nostril under 

 the skin, and in front of the cranial bones, and in such 

 large quantity that a single whale will furnish several 

 hogsheads. The cachalot also yields ambergris, an odor- 

 ous substance used in perfumery. It appears to be pro- 

 duced from the bile. The oil of the sperm whale is 

 highly prized. 



Mystacoceti. The true whales are gigantic animals, 

 measuring eighty or eighty-five feet in length, and 



FIG. 203. 



WHALE. 



weighing as much as one hundred and fifty tons. The 

 general form is like that of a fish, the body being long 

 and cylindrical, tapering towards the tail and joined 

 directly to the head without any appearance of a neck. 

 The head is very large, the mouth opening exceedingly 

 wide, being carried back under the eyes, which are very 

 small in proportion to the size of the body, and placed 

 very low, near the commissure of the lips. The jaws 



