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CETACEOUS FISHES. 293 



his beautiful poem of the Summer Islands, relates a 

 simple though interesting fact, which at once proves 

 that parental tenderness is capable of defying both 

 danger and pain : — " A whale and her cub had got into 

 " an arm of the sea, and, by the ebbing of the tide, were 

 " unable to retreat, when the people from the shore, 

 " observing their situation, prepared themselves with 

 a weapons, and approached in boats. The poor crea- 

 " tures were soon wounded in various situations, and 

 " the sea was absolutely discoloured with their gore ; 

 " yet their attempts to escape for a time were unavail- 

 " ing ; but at length the old one forced a passage over 

 " the shallow, and secured its own safety by the depth 

 " of the -sea. There she remained a short period ; but, 

 " finding the young one had not strength to escape, 

 " she again returned to the scene of danger, resolving 

 " to become the partner of its fate. The returning 

 " tide fortunately relieved them, and enabled them to 

 " force a passage through that prison in which they had 

 " been confined." 



The other distinctive marks of this tribe are, that 

 their fins never exceed three, namely, the two pectoral, 

 and one on the back. Their tail also differs from any 

 other of the species, being so formed as always to lie 

 flat upon the stream. Some of these enormous animals 

 are destitute of teeth, and others possess them only in 

 the lower jaw. 



OF THE WHALE. 



Tf we compare land-animals, in respect to magnitude, 

 with those that take up their abode in the deep, we shall 

 find they will appear contemptible by the comparison, 

 though, from the bones of quadrupeds that have been 

 dug out of the earth, we know that they formerly ex- 



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