80 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1725. 



his genitals are not open or visible, like those of the true bull. The calf, or 

 young whale, has been found perfectly formed in the cow, when not above 17 

 inches long, and white; yet, when brought forth, it is usually 20 feet, and of 

 a black colour; it is supposed they go with young about 9 or ID months, when 

 they are very fat, especially when they bring forth. When the female suckles 

 her young, she turns herself almost upon her back, on the surface of the 

 water; she has two teats of 6 or 8 inches long, and 10 or 12 inches round. 

 The milk is white, like that of a cow; and on opening a young sucking whale, 

 the milk is found curdled in its bag, just like that in a calf. 



Their care of their young is very remarkable ; they not only carry them on 

 their tails, and suckle them, but often rise with them for the benefit of the air; 

 and however they may be chased or wounded, yet as long as they have sense, 

 and perceive life in their young, they will never leave them, nor will they then 

 strike with their tail ; and if, in their running, the young one loses its hold and 

 drops off, the dam comes about, and passing underneath, takes it on again. 

 And therefore care is taken by those who kill these mate fish, as they are called, 

 only to fasten the calf, but not to kill it, till they have first secured the cow. 

 For as soon as ever the calf is dead, the cow perceives it, and grows so violent, 

 that there is no managing her. 



Whales are very gregarious, being sometimes found 100 in a scull, and 

 are great travellers. In the fall of the year, the right or whalebone whales go 

 westward, and in the spring eastward. But the several kinds of whales do not 

 mix with each other, but each sort by themselves. 



Their way of breathing is by two spout holes in the top of the head. The 

 sperma ceti has but one, and that on the left side of the head. Once in a 

 quarter of an hour, when not disturbed, they are observed to rise and blow, 

 spouting out water and air, and to draw in fresh air; but when pursued, they 

 will sometimes keep underwater half an hour or more; though when a cow has 

 her calf on her tail, she rises much oftener, for the young one to breathe, with- 

 out breathing herself. Out of their breathing holes they spout great quantities 

 of blood, when they have received their death wound. 



For the first year they all suck the dam. After they are weaned, the right 

 whales, it is supposed, live upon some ouzy matter, which they suck up from 

 the bottom of the sea. The triers, that open them when dead, say, that they 

 never observed any grass, fish, or any other sort of food in the right or whale- 

 bone whale, but only a greyish soft clay, which the people call bole ammoniac; 

 and yet an experienced whaleman says, that he has seen this whale, in still 

 weather, skimming on the surface of the water, to take in a sort of reddish 



