CETACEA. 247 



the direction of the air tubes, they feed as safely in the deep 

 ocean as others do in the most balmy atmosphere." 



The external opening of the ear is minute, and in some species, 

 hardly discoverable. This can be closed at pleasure. The 

 hearing, as well as sight, is quick beneath water, whales have 

 the sense of smell in some degree; showing themselves sensible 

 of the noxious smell of bilge-water, pumped from the hold of 

 vessels. The senses of taste and touch they possess, but in a less 

 degree than other animals. 



The stomach of the whale is divided into five, and sometimes 

 seven distinct sacs, or pouches; instead of a single spleen, they 

 have several, which are small and globular. The teguments of 

 the tongue are soft and smooth. Those of the Cetacea which are 

 possessed of teeth, have them all of conical shape, and all alike. 



The brain in these animals is small, though the size of it 

 varies in different genera. In a young Greenland whale it was 

 found to be ^oVtf P ai *t of the whole animal. The proportion in 

 the Dolphin is much greater, the brain being -^ part of the 

 whole, and approaching quite near to that of man. 



The degrees of intelligence manifested by the Cetacea, are 

 various, and so are their dispositions; but all agree in the mutual 

 regard which they entertain, the mother for her young, the 

 cub for its parents; _and members of the same family, or shoal, 

 for one another. The female has but one young at a time, in 

 the early spring, which is about ten or twelve feet long at birth ; 

 the mammae are two in number, and situated near the vent. 



The Catacea may be divided into four families, viz : I. The 

 DSLPHINIDAE, including Dolphins, Porpoises, etc. ; II. CATADON- 

 TIDAE, or PHYSETERIDAE, Spermaceti Whales; III. BALAENIDAE, 

 True Whales, Common, Right or Whale-Bone Whales; IV. 

 HERBIVOROUS CETACEA, including the Manatees, Dugongs, etc. 





I. DELPHJNIDAE. (Gr. Jekcplg,, Delpliis, a dolphin.) 



This is tire Dolphin tribe, characterized by the moderate size 

 of the head, and usually by the presence of teeth in both jaws. 

 They are voracious feeders ; their flesh is, for the most part, 

 rank, oily, and unwholesome. They include seventeen genera, 

 and sixty-four species, and are the most numerous family of the 

 Cetacea; are scattered in all seas, and frequently ascend rivers. 

 One genus (Inia) is found in the mountain lakes of Peru, the 

 fountains of the Amazon, and a thousand miles from the ocean. 

 " They are the Carnassiers of the waters, preying upon the 

 fishing tribes, which they chase in all directions; and their teeth 

 are modified accordingly." 



