WHALBB. 41'.' 



When ih- Whales l.reathe, theyare forced to r!.-- to the surface of the sea, and there 

 make a nuniU-r <>f huge respirations, which are technically called sj>ouiinc>." l-<-ause a 

 column <>f mixed vapor and water IB ejected from the nostrils, or "blow-holes," and -i-.tit-, 

 npuards to a irrent height, -oint-t iines as iiuirh as t\\,.|it\ feet. In order to eniiMe the animal 

 to respire \\ithout e\]M>sing it.self unnecessarily, the "Mow-holes" are placed on the up|>er 

 ]wrt of tin- head, so that \\ln-n a Whale is reposing itself on tin- surface of tin- sea, there is 

 \er\ little of its huge carcase visible, except the upper portion of tin- head ami a part of the 

 buck. The " spoutings" are niadf w ith exceeding violence, and cnn be heard to some distance. 

 mode of respiration is, however, rather different from that of the generality of mam 

 nialia, In-im; modified in miler to meet the j>eculiar ciiruin.st:iiici>s in which the animal is plac.-d. 



In ni-aily all the mammalia the movement.* of respiration take place in rather rapid 

 ;inl are continuous in their action, and if they are checked for only a few minutes. 



result I- in.-\it:iM\ fatal It is evident, however, that as the Whales are fontl to seek 

 their food in the depths of the ocean, and to remain for a consideniMe SJCHV of time Mow the 

 surface, their respiration must IM> conducted on u different system. The mode whkk i- adopt. -d 

 is truh one of the mowt marvellous contrivances that can !* imagined, and is HO beautifully 

 simple, as well a.s profound, that it raises our hiirln-st adonition of the unsj>eakable wimlora 

 which pi. iimed it. 



It is dear that the creature would not be able to take a supply of air into the depths of 

 the ocean, and that ain-t h.-r means must be found for oxygenizing the blood. 



As. therefore, the animal is unable to breathe Mow the surface of the water, the difficulty 

 IB surmounted l>y furnishing it with a large reservoir of arterial Mood, which is oxygenized 

 durimr the short time that is occupied in the "spouting*," and which supplies the circulation 

 until the Whale returns again to the upper regions for :i fresh supply. The reserved blood is 

 contained in a large mass of vessels which line the interior of the chest and the adjoining 

 regions, and are capable of containing a sufficient amount of fresh blood to sustain life for a 

 wonderfully long period. 



As the Whales are in the liabit of descending to very great depths depths so profound, 

 that if a piece of dry wood be equally deeply sunk it will be saturated with water, and will not 

 float their ears and nostrils must l>e guarded against the danp-rs that would arise from the 

 jteiietrution of the water into their cavities. There is consequently a beautifully simple and 

 ingenious valvular structure, which perfectly answers this purpose, and firmly closes the 

 external orifices in proportion to the depth to which the animal dives. The ear is n-markaMy 

 small, and in some specimens is almost undiscernible. Some anatomists an- of opinion that 

 the Whales can hear by means of the communication of the ear with the mouth. As the 

 spermaceti Whale is capable of communicating with its companions at a distance of several 

 mil.-*, it is evident that the sense of hearing must be better develojH-d than would be the case 

 if the creature were totally dependent for hearing on the external orifice ; which must always be 

 closed while under water, and which in many sjM-cies is covered with the external integument. 



The limbs of the Whales are so modified in their form that they can hardly be recognized 

 by their external appearance alone as the liml >s of a veritable mammal. In shajH- they closely 

 resemble the fins of fish, and it is not until they are stripped of the thick skin which envelops 

 them that the true limb is developed. The reader may see the bony structure of the Whale's 

 fin by referring to the skeleton of the rorqual on page 391. The chief use of these organs 

 seems to be that they assist the animal in preserving its position in the water, for the huge 

 carcase rolls over on its back as soon as it is deprived of the balancing power of the fins. They 

 are also employed for the purpose of grasping the young whenever the mother Whale is 

 anxious for the safety of her offspring, but they are of little use in urging the animal through 

 the water, that duty being amost entirely performed by the tail. 



This member is very curious in its structure, for, as may be seen by reference to the 

 rorqual skeleton, the Whales have no hinder limlw that may be modified into fins, as is the 

 case with the seals, and are forced to depend solely on the soft structures for its powers of 

 locomotion. The traces of hinder limbs are to be found in some little iM.nes that lie loosely 

 in the flesh, but they are of no real use, and are only representatives of the true limbs. 



