222 



CURIOUS CREATURES. 



other Beast that is his enemy sets upon him ; nor is it 

 a wonder, that he hath so many Horns, though they be 



very troublesome to him ; when, as between his eyes, 

 the space of his forehead is 15 or 20 foot." 



" The Spermaceti whale (Physeter macrocephalus) is the 

 subject of a curious story, according to Olaus Magnus. 

 He declares Ambergris is the sperm of the male Whale, 

 which is not received by the female. " It is scattered 

 wide on the sea, in divers figures, of a blew colour, but 

 more tending to white ; and these are glew'd together ; 

 and this is carefully collected by Marriners, as I observed, 

 when, in my Navigation I saw it scattered here and there : 

 This they sell to Physitians, to purge it ; and when it is 

 purged, they call it Amber-grcese, and they use it against 

 the Dropsie and Palsie, as a principal and most pretious 

 unguent. It is white ; and if it be found, that is of the 

 colour of Gyp, it is the better. It is sophisticated with 

 the powder of Lignum, Aloes, Styrax, Musk, and some 



