THE CACHALOT. 49 



Strange imitation of ambergris. 



all ambergris. The beak of the sepia is a black 

 horny substance, and therefore passes undigested 

 through the stomach into the intestinal canal, 

 where it is mixed with the faces; after which it 

 is either evacuated with them, or if these latter 

 be preternaturally retained, forms concretions 

 with them, which render the animal sick and tor- 

 pid, and produce an obstipation, which ends 

 either in an abscess of the abdomen (as has been 

 frequently observed) or becomes fatal to the ani- 

 mal; whence in both cases on the bursting of 

 its belly, that hardened substance, known by the 

 name of ambergris, is found swimming on the 

 sea, or thrown upon the sea coast. 



It is very remarkable, that this drug, which is 

 the most sweet of all perfumes, should be capa- 

 ble of being imitated in smell, by a preparation 

 of the most odious of all stinks. Mr. Hornbey 

 found, that a vessel in which he had made a long 

 digestion of the human faeces, acquired a very 

 strong and perfect smell of ambergris, insomuch 

 that any one would have thought a great quan- 

 tity of essence of ambergris had been made in it. 

 The perfume was so strong and offensive, that 

 the vessel was obliged to be removed out of the 

 laboratory. 



VOL. v. NO. 31. 



