FISHES, 4-Gj 



pliilosophers have nothing but the analogy of its parts to oppose 

 to their general assertions. 



As these animals resemble quadrupeds in conformation, so 

 they bear a strong resemblance in some of their appetites and 

 manners. The female joins with the male, as is asserted, more 

 hiimano, and once in two years feels the accesses of desire. 



Their fidelity to each other exceeds whatever we are told of 

 even the constancy of birds. Some fishers, as Anderson informs 

 us, having struck one of two whales, a male and a female, that 

 were in company together, the wounded fish made a long and 

 terrible resistance : it struck down a boat witli three men in it, 

 with a single blow of the tail, by which all went to the bottom. 

 The other still attended its companion, and lent it every assis- 

 tance ; till, at last, the fish that was struck sunk under the num- 

 ber of its wounds ; while its faithful associate, disdaining to 

 nurvive the loss, with great bellowing stretched itself upon the 

 dead fish, and shared its fate. 



The whale goes with young nine or ten months, and is then 

 fatter then usual, particularly when near the time of bringing 

 forth. It is said that the embryo, when first perceptible, is 

 about seventeen inches long, and w*<ite ; but the cub, when ex- 

 cluded, is black, and about ten feet long. She generally pro- 

 duces one young one, and never above two. When she suckles 

 her young, she throws herself on one side on the surface of the 

 sea, and the young one attaches itself to the teat. The breasts 

 ar/i two, generally hid within the belly ; but she can produce 

 them at j)leasure, so as to stand forward a foot and a half, or two 

 feet ; and the teats are like those of a cow. In some, the breasts 

 are white ; in others speckled ; in all, filled with a large quantity 

 of milk, resembling that of land animals. 



Nothing can exceed the tenderness of the female for her off- 

 spring ; she carries it with her wherever slie goes, and, when 

 hardest pursued, keeps it supported between her fins. Even 

 when wounded, she still dasjjs her young one ; and when she 

 plunges to avoid danger, takes it to the bottom ; but rises sooner 

 than usual, to give it breath again. 



The young ones continue at the breast for a year, during 

 which time they are called by the sailors, short-heads. They 

 are then extremely fat, and yield above fifty barrels of blubber. 

 The mother, at the .same time, is equally lean ;uid cinaeiated. 



