THE WHALES. 19 



creature which leads an aquatic life to keep such an 

 enormous quantity of the vital fluid aerated. The 

 second is this : How is the animal to obtain sufficient 

 food to keep up the supply of blood, and to com- 

 pensate for the waste that must be caused by the 

 violent exertions that are inseparably connected with 

 its aquatic life. The third problem is this : How to 

 prevent the vital heat from being absorbed in the ice- 

 cold water in which so many whales pass the whole of 

 their lives ? 



These problems are by no means easy of solution, 

 and it is really wonderful to see how beautifully and 

 yet simply are they treated in the structure of the 

 whale tribe. We will take them in order, and begin 

 with Eespiration. 



Here, at the very outset, we are met by another 

 problem. It is manifestly impossible that the animal 

 should always remain at the surface of the water. In 

 the first place, it would be unable to procure its food ; 

 in the second place, it would be exposed to the 

 assaults of various enemies ; and in the third place, 

 it would be at the mercy of the storms. 



For the largest whale that ever lived is powerless 

 against a storm, which hurls its huge body about like 

 a cork. Indeed, when the whale has been overtaken 

 by a storm in comparatively still water, it is tolerably 

 certain to be stranded, and it has sometimes happened 

 that a whole " school^ of whales have been flung 

 ashore by a single gale. Now, as all good swimmers 

 know, the power of the waves is quite superficial, and 

 even a human being can set them at defiance by 

 meeting them, diving just before they reach 



