OF THE CKTACEA. 65 ^ 



The only other part of the animal to wtiicn 

 shall at present advert is the nervotis system, which, 

 from its vast importance on the habits and character 

 of the living being, must ever be regarded with in- 

 terest. It would appear that the observations made 

 on this point are still by much too few to enable us 

 to come to any thing like general results; and in 

 systematic writers, we meet with the utmost contra- 

 riety of statement. Thus Cuvier, in his Lectures 

 \Comp. Anal. ii. 265), judging from the limited op- 

 portunities which at that time had come within his 

 reach, speaks of the brain of the Cetacea generally, as 

 distinguished for its great breadth and height ; whilst 

 Lesson, on the other hand, states that it is always 

 very small in relation to the size of the animals 

 (Cetaces, 23). The truth appears to lie between 

 these two opinions, and to have been expressed 

 by Hunter when he says, " the size of the brain 

 differs much in different genera of the tribe, and 

 likewise in the proportion it bears to the bulk of 

 the animal." (Loc. cit., p. 423.) It will probably 

 require a distinct examination of each species before 

 certainty is attained. From the present state of 

 our knowledge, it would appear that the larger 

 varieties have very small brains in proportion to 

 the size of their bodies, whilst the smaller kinds 

 again have very large and well developed brains. 

 In regard to the mysticetus^ Mr. Scorseby states, 

 from actual examination of at least one specimen, 

 that the brain lies in a small cavity in the upper and 

 back part of the skull; its general appearance is 



