250 CETACEA. 



Beluga. The WHITE WHALE. 



Of this genus there are two species, viz. : the Northern Belu- 

 ga, (B. catodon.) the Australian Beluga, (J5. Ringii.) The shape 

 of the Beluga is that of a double cone, one end of which is con- 

 siderably shorter than the other, and extremely well adapted to 

 motion in the water. It is known by its white color. The 

 length varies from twelve to twenty feet. The tail is powerful, 

 bent under the body in swimming, and impels it forward with 

 the velocity of an arrow. The eye is scarcely larger than that 

 of a man ; the iris is blue. It has no olfactory nerve, no exter- 

 nal ear, and the mouth is small when compared with the bulk of 

 the animal. Its food is codfish, haddocks, and other fish. The 

 favorite resorts of the Northern Beluga are the higher latitudes 

 of the Arctic regions, Hudson's Bay, Davis' Straits, and the 

 northern coasts of Asia and of this continent, where they fre. 

 quent large rivers. They are found in the Gulf of St. Law. 

 rence, and go with the tide as far as Quebec; and there are 

 fisheries for them as well as for porpoises in the river St. Lawrence. 

 They yield a considerable quantity of oil which is said to be of 

 the finest quality. Of their skins a sort of morocco leather is 

 made, which, though thin, is strong enough to resist a musket 

 ball. They are not shy, but often follow ships and tumble about 

 the boats in herds of thirty or forty, bespangling the surface with 

 their sparkling whiteness. The whaler seldom disturbs these 

 beautiful creatures; they being very active, it is difficult to strike 

 them ; the harpoon often gives way, and they are of compara- 

 tively little value when killed. They are said to visit the west 

 coast of Greenland about the end of November, and are then very 

 useful to the natives as their provisions fall short. In taking them, 

 harpoons and strong nets are employed. The internal membranes 

 are used for windows and bsd-curtaind, and the sinews for 

 thread. The flesh resembles beef, but is to some extent oily. 



Phoc&na. (Gr. qpcjx<uj/a, phokaina, a porpoise.) 



The characteristics of this genus are as follows: "Head 

 rounded, not much elevated ; mouth terminal ; snout, short and 

 rounded ; a dorsal eminence, (as in the Globicephalus.) usually 

 of a small size; gregarious; piscivorus." (N. H. S. N. Y.) 

 i Phocosna communis. The COMMON PORPOISE, or PORPESSE. 

 (French, Porcpoisson.) (PI. IV. fig. 11.) 



Of all the Cetacea, this and the allied varieties are most com- 

 mon, being found in almost all the seas of Europe, and in large 

 numbers on the coast of the American continent. It is common 

 in our rivers and bays. It was formerly " so abundant on the 

 shores of Long Island as to have induced the inhabitants to form 



