88 MAMMALIA OP THE SEA. 



This immense creature, however, lives upon 

 small sea-animals, and is provided with a very cu- 

 rious apparatus for catching them. This is what 

 is called whale-bone, and consists of numerous 

 plates, fixed to the top of the mouth, with a fringe 

 growing from their lower edges. It is by means of 

 this fringe that the whale is enabled to catch its prey, 

 as it serves as a sort of sieve to entangle the small 

 animals that are taken into its enormous mouth. Its 

 skin is very smooth, and looks almost like oiled 

 silk, and beneath this is a coating of fat from ten to 

 twelve inches thick. It is for the fat, or blubber, 

 as it is termed, that this huge animal is principally 

 sought after, as it supplies us with train-oil. The 

 nostrils open on the top of the head, and are called 

 blow-holes, through which it can spout water with 

 great force. The whale dwells in the frozen seas 

 of the north, and is very useful to the people in- 

 habiting those desolate regions. 



The spermaceti-whale yields the fine oil called 

 spermaceti. These huge creatures are very quiet 

 and inoffensive, and are generally seen in shoals 

 or pairs. 



Another of the mammalia, which lives in the sea, 

 is the dolphin. This animal is much celebrated 

 for the beauty of its colours, and for its sportive 

 character. It is often seen playing about ships in 

 great numbers, gamboling backwards and for- 

 wards ; and when taken from the water, exhibits a 

 series of very brilliant colours. 



The narwhal has no teeth, but has a large horn 



