132 THE NARWHAL. 



and, on returning to the surface, is dispatched by a whale- 

 lance without any difficulty. The blubber is about three 

 inches in thickness, and invests the whole body. It affords 

 about half, a ton of oil. 



The origin of the word narwhale, narwhal, or narwal, 

 is said to be from the Teutonic nar, or ner, which signifies 

 a beak, or projecting snout, and wal, u)ale, or whale, an in- 

 discriminate word, in the same great family of languages, 

 for any of the Cetaceae. Many writers consider that two 

 distinct species of this animal exist, the Monodon microce- 

 phalus being different from the M. monoceros, and such is 

 the opinion of Dr. Fleming. Cuvier, however, and other 

 naturalists, regard the M. microcephalus as identical with 

 the M. monoceros. 



