MAMMALIA. 429 



the whole animal, is principally dependent upon the immense 

 quantity of spermaceti, which is contained in a thick dense 

 bag, divided into compartments, and placed in the front part 

 of the head. This substance, which exists in a fluid state in 

 the living animal, is also found along each side of the back, 

 and in some other parts of the body. 



The Cachalot reaches the length of seventy feet. In its 

 enormous bulk, therefore, it equals or even surpasses the com- 

 mon or Baleen Whale. Its strength is enormous. A single 

 blow of the tail will dash a boat to pieces; " and there is a 

 well-known authenticated instance on record, of an American 

 ship of large size being stove in and foundered by the blow 

 inflicted by the head of an infuriated male Cachalot of large 

 size." Though small fishes have been found in its stomach, 

 its principal food is Cuttle-fish. 



The Common Whale (Balcena mysticetus, Fig. 324) feeds, 



Fig. 324. BALEEN WHALE. 



as is well known, on minute Crustacea, mollusca (ante, p. 175), 

 and medusaa (ante, p. 42). It is so greatly reduced in num- 

 bers in the Greenland seas, that Baffin's Bay, Hudson's Bay, 

 and other localities made known by the enterprise of British 

 seamen, are now the principal seats of the "fishery" a term 

 we would gladly change, as it tends to keep up the vulgar and 

 erroneous idea that the Whale is a fish. Its affection to its 

 young, its importance to man, and the dangers incurred in its 

 pursuit, are attractive subjects; but instead of entering upon 

 their consideration, we prefer devoting our limited space to 

 points of structure exhibited in the Whale, and with some 

 modifications found throughout all the animals of the present 

 order. 





