162 THE NAEWHAL. 



they are liable to fall out at an early age. The blow-holes are 

 united together, so as to form a single semilunar opening, which is set 

 transversely on the crown of the head. 



The word Narwhal is derived from the Gothic, signifying " beaked 

 whale," and is a very appropriate term for the Sea Unicorn, as the 

 animal is popularly entitled. The head of the Narwhal is round, and 

 convex in front, the lower jaw being without teeth, and not so wide as 

 the upper jaw. From the upper jaw of the Narwhal springs the curious 

 weapon which has gained for the animal a world-wide reputation. 



In the upper jaw of the young or the female Narwhal are found two 

 small or hollow tusks, imbedded in the bone, which, in the female, 



are generally undeveloped throughout the 

 whole of the animal's existence, but in the 

 male Narwhal are strangely modified. The 

 right tusk remains in its infantine state, 

 excepting that the hollow becomes filled 

 with bony substance ; but the left tusk rap- 

 idly increases in length, and is developed 

 into a long, spiral, tapering rod of ivory, 

 _ ,^ ,,, sometimes attainins^ to the length of eight 



Mo^eros) or t«» <■<=«'• The tuAs are supposed to be 



formed by an excessive growth of the ca- 

 nine teeth, and not of the incisors, as might be supposed from the 

 position which they occupy in the jaw. 



The food of the Narwhal consists chiefly of marine molluscs and of 

 occasional fish, but is found to be generally composed of the same kind 

 of squid, or cuttle-fish, which supplies the gigantic spermaceti whale 

 with subsistence. As the remains of several flat fish have been discov- 

 ered in the stomach of the Narwhal, it was supposed by some authors 

 that the animal made use of its tusk as a fish-spear, transfixing them as 

 they lay "sluddering" on the mud or sand, after their usual fashion, 

 thus preventing their escape from the toothless mouth into which the 

 wounded fish are then received. However this may be, the force of the 

 tusk is terrific when urged with the impetus of the creature driving 

 through the water at full speed, for the whole combined power of the 

 weight and velocity of the animal is directed along the line of the tusk. 

 A Narwhal has been known to encounter a ship, and to drive its tusk 

 through the sheathing and deeply into the timbers. The shock was 

 probably fatal to the assailant, for the tooth was snapped by the sudden 

 blow, remaining in the hole which it had made, and acting as a plug 

 that eflfectually prevented the water from gaining admission into the 

 vessel. 



The ivory of the Narwhal's tusk is remarkably good in quality, being 

 hard and solid, capable of receiving a high polish, and possessing the 



