THE CACHALOT 413 



ferociously rammed full-rigged ships and sent them to the 

 bottom. It is well within the bounds of probability that many 

 a vessel that has disappeared, without leaving the slightest 

 clue to its fate, came to grief through accidental collision 

 with, or as the result of deliberate attack by, a Whale. Even 

 full-grown Whale cows are gentle and inoffensive creatures ; 

 but there are furious conflicts between the young bulls for 

 choice of mates, and also between the older ones for the 

 leadership of a school (Plate XLII. Fig. i). 



The Whale is an astonishing animal, and in order that it 

 may subsist a number of apparently contradictory condi- 

 tions must be reconciled. It is a warm-blooded mammal, 

 and yet spends its life wholly in cold water. In order to dive 

 to great depths it must be able to make its body heavier 

 than a corresponding bulk of water, and conversely at will 

 make it lighter in order to reach the surface. Though 

 breathing atmospheric air through nostrils, the animal can 

 exist at a greater depth than where the pressure of the 

 water would force its particles into solid oak, and yet no 

 water can reach the Whale's lungs. It must be able to 

 exist without breathing at all for at least the space of an 

 hour. With the bones, ears, and eyes of a mammal it 

 has to move, hear, and see as though it were a fish. 

 Difficult as these problems appear, they are by no means 

 impossible of explanation. 



In order to prevent the heat of the W T hale being absorbed 

 by the cold water the animal is fitted with a modified skin 

 called ' blubber/ into the composition of which non- 

 ducting oil very largely enters. The fibres, instead of being 

 flattened out, as in the skin of most mammals, are con- 

 verted into innumerable cells, and thus even from a wound 

 there is practically no escape of oil. 



The Whale is able to sink at will without diving. It has 

 but to contract its exceedingly powerful panniculus carnosus 

 (see p. 92) to diminish its body in size and cause it to be 

 heavier than its own bulk of water. The relaxation of the 

 muscle restores lightness to the body, and a few powerful 

 strokes with the tail will afford sufficient velocity not only 

 quickly to reach the surface, but to throw the huge body 

 completely out of the water. 



