220 DAN BEARD'S ANIMAL BOOK 



DIAGRAM OF SIDE, FRONT AND TOP OF WHALE 



words, with its edge perpendicular, like this ( , the 

 creature to which the tail is attached is a fish. 



There is a good common sense reason for this 

 that the sculptors, painters and illustrators of 



MERMAIDS 



may well study, for the nose on the anatomy of the 

 mermaid stamps her as an air breather and not a 

 fish. 



An air breather must force its head above water 

 whenever it needs more air and the great horizontal 

 tail is most admirably adapted to this purpose in 

 its position ready to slap the water with a down 

 stroke, in fact it is safe to say nothing is better for 

 this purpose; if there is any improvement, nature 

 would have worked it out long ago and some one 

 of the warm blooded progressive sea animals 

 would be rejoicing in the patent. 



A FISHES PERPENDICULAR TAIL 

 on the contrary, is built to scull the owner through 



