216 The Natural Historic 



are his Eves, which are not much bigger than those of a Bul- 

 lock, with Eye-lids and Hair like Men's. The Chrystal of the 

 Eye is not much bigger than a Pea, which in some is clear 

 and transparent, and in others of a white or yellowish Colour. 

 The Eyes lie low, almost at the end of the upper Lip. The 

 Head is the third part of the Fish, and in some more. Their 

 Lips are plain, somewhat bending like an S. and underneath 

 the Eyes, before the two Fins, they are smooth, jet black, and 

 round like the quarter of a Circle, but when they draw them 

 together, they lock in one another. Within the uppermost Lip 

 is contained the Whalebone, (and not in the Fins, as some 

 have imagined) which is of a brownish black and yellow 

 Colour, with streaks of several other Colours, but the Whale- 

 hone of the young ones, is generally Blue. The Whalebone 

 hangs down on both sides within the Mouth, all hairy like a 

 Horses Tail, and in some it is bended like a 8cymeter, and in 

 others like a half Moon. In one side, in a Row, there are 

 generally Two hundred and fifty Pieces of Whalebone, and as 

 many on the other, besides the small Bone, which is not re- 

 garded, because they cannot well come at it to cut it out. The 

 middlemost is the greatest, and is sometimes eighteen or nin- 

 teen Foot long. It lies in a flat row, one Piece by another, 

 and is broadest at the top, where it sticks to the upper Lip, 

 towards the Root it is covered with white Sinews, which when 

 boiled, smell pleasantly. There grows small Whalebone at 

 the Root of the greater, whereof they make Boxes, Handles 

 for Knives, walking Sticks, and the like. 



The Tongue lies amongst the Whalebone, and is close fixed 

 to the upper Chop, which is very large and white, with black 

 Spots at the edges. It has a soft spungy Fat, and cannot be 

 easily cut, so that it is generally flung away, though it would 



yield 



