70 COMPARATIVE ANATOMY 



in the short. In Dr. Knox's great rorqual the organ 

 is placed very far back in the head, obliquely above 

 and behind the angle of the mouth, and near to that 

 part of the animal which corresponds with its greatest 

 breadth, so that by the simple motion of the eye it 

 commands a wide range of vision. Cuvier has re- 

 marked that its axis of vision is directed obliquely 

 downwards, so that it may at all times the more 

 readily perceive its food as it floats below it ; and, ac- 

 cording to Scorseby, the sense of seeing is acute, since 

 whales are observed to discover one another in clear 

 water, when under the surface, at an amazing dis- 

 tance. He at the same time states, that when on 

 the surface, the mysticetus does not see far. On the 

 other hand, it has been remarked, that the sperm 

 whale, when above the surface, appears to view 

 objects very readily which are placed in a direct 

 line with the eye ; its common mode of looking at a 

 boat or ship being to turn over on its side, so as to 

 cause the rays from the object to strike directly 

 upon the retina. When alarmed, and anxious to 

 take as rapid a glance as possible on all sides, it as- 

 sumes a perpendicular position in the water, with its 

 head protruding above the surface and the eye di- 

 rected to the object (Beetle's Obs. on the Sperm 

 Whale). This practice, as will subsequently appear, 

 is not confined to the sperm whale. 



The organ of hearing in the Cete is in many 

 respects peculiar. It resembles considerably the 

 mechanism in fishes, though in various particulars 

 it approaches more or less to that of land animals. 



