CETACEANS. 167 



carnosus, lines the integuments ; and this whale, when 

 harpooned, has been noticed to shake its skin, " like a 

 wet dog/' to rid itself of the irritating weapon. The 

 muscles of the trunk are firmly girded by a very 

 beautiful expanse of fascia, composed of coarse fibres, 

 strongly and perceptibly interlaced, and glistening with 

 a bright silvery lustre. 



The sexual organs are formed as in other species 

 of cetaceans ; hence, there is little external appearance, 

 beyond the size of the individual, or the development 

 of its teeth, to distinguish the male from the female. 

 Whalers are inclined to believe, that the convex, or 

 " hatchet-shaped," snout is characteristic of the male 

 Cachalot; but I do not think that there is sufficient 

 ground for this conclusion. The mammillary gland of 

 the female bears a close resemblance to that of the cow. 

 It secretes a large quantity of thick milk, which has a 

 very rich taste, and is peculiarly greasy to the touch. 



In January, 1835, I was enabled, through the kind- 

 ness of Captain Stavers, to make an anatomical ex- 

 amination of a foetal Cachalot, which was removed from 

 the abdomen of its mother, and taken on board the 

 ship. Without entering into minute particulars, I may 

 mention the following, as the principal peculiarities 

 noticed in this young example, w r hich was a male, and 

 sufficiently mature to be within a few hours of its 

 birth.* It was fourteen feet long, and six in circum- 

 ference ; of a deep black colour, prettily mottled with a 

 few white spots ; and in form, as perfect as the adult 

 whale, with the single exception that the tail-fin was 

 crumpled on its free border, and had the corner of each 



* This opinion was corroborated by some peculiarities which were 

 observed in the behaviour of the mother, previous to her being attacked 

 by the boats of the Tuscan. 



