CETACEANS. 1?5 



whales were noticed, under circumstances favourable 

 for observations in this point, I found that one Cachalot 

 continued below the surface fifty-five minutes ; a second, 

 forty-five minutes ; and the third, one hour and a half; 

 but whatever time the whale may remain under water, 

 after making a formal descent, it subsequently adheres 

 to the same period with so much regularity, that its 

 " risings" may be timed by a watch with considerable 

 accuracy. 



School Whales are less open to investigation in this 

 respect; for, while some are rising to spout, others 

 are descending, and it is difficult to identify individuals. 

 A young male, harpooned by our boats, continued under 

 water, and with the line attached to it, half an hour. 

 The time they spend in communication with the air 

 is very variable; when making a rapid passage, or 

 when pursued, they swim for a long time on the surface 

 of the water, where their progress is less impeded. 



Their ordinary food is the cuttle-fish, or ({ squid," 

 (Sepia,) many kinds of which are rejected from the 

 stomach of the whale when the latter is attacked by the 

 boats, as well as after death, and during the process of 

 removing the blubber. Amongst the examples thus re- 

 jected we find solid masses of enormous size and 

 weight, though evidently but mere fragments of the 

 body of some vast cuttle-fish, and probably of that 

 kind termed the i( gigantic squid" an animal with 

 which naturalists are but little acquainted ; but which 

 has been known to attain such huge dimensions, that, 

 when spread out beneath the surface of the sea, it has 

 alarmed navigators by its resemblance to a reef, or 

 shoal. We cannot fail to be impressed with a truly 

 magnificent idea of the profusion of animal life which 

 must necessarily exist in. the ocean's depths, though 



