88 HISTORY OF THE WHALE. 



enormous whale ; and its dependence on these minute in- 

 sects, as well as that of the greater number of animals 

 which inhabit those prodigious and dreary seas, is almost 

 too clear to require demonstration. As before stated, the 

 invisible animalculae supply nourishment to the innumer- 

 able small shrimps, crabs, &c.; they in their turn are the 

 food of the smaller fishes, which again supply nourishment 

 to the larger, which are devoured by seals, dolphins, and 

 other Cetacea ; the bear again feeds upon the seal, and thus 

 there is a wonderful dependent chain of existence formed, 

 every link of which seems essential to the integrity of the 

 whole. When this whale feeds, it swims with considerable 

 velocity below the surface, with its jaws widely extended. 

 A stream of water consequently enters its mouth, and along 

 with it large quantities of water-insects ; the water es- 

 capes again at the sides ; but the food is entangled and 

 sifted in the baleen, which, from its compact arrangement, 

 and the -thick internal covering of hair, does not allow a 

 particle of the size of the smallest grain to escape. 



It is presumed the period of gestation is nine or ten 

 months, and the whale has but one at a birth, instances of 

 two accompanying the female being very rare. The young 

 one, at the time of birth, is ten to fourteen feet long. Ac- 

 cording to Sir Charles Giesecki, it turns on the one side 

 on the surface of the water when it gives suck to its young 

 and then the cub attaches itself to the teat. It goes under 

 the protection of its mother probably for somewhat more 

 than a year, till by the growth of the baleen it is enabled 

 to procure its own food. It appears to attain its full growth 

 at the age of twenty or twenty-five. The marks of age are 

 an increase of the quantity of grey colour on the skin, and 

 a change to a yellowish tint of the white parts; a decrease 

 in the quantity of the oil, and an increase in the hardness 

 of the blubber. It is then supposed to attain a great age. 

 The natural affection of this species is interesting. The 



