The Get ace a, or Whales. 117 



search for prey at the depths to which it descends, 

 and would oblige it to face death in one of two forms 

 starvation or suffocation. 



A most wonderful structure is therefore provided, 

 which enables the animal to aerate a supplementary 

 stock of blood, which can be introduced into the 

 circulatory system as occasion requires, taking the 

 place of the exhausted fluid, and doing away with the 

 necessity for constant respiration. This is managed 

 as follows : 



When the whale ascends to the surface of the water 

 in order to breathe, it makes a succession of inhalations, 

 generally some forty or fifty in number, which are 

 usually termed the spoutings, on account of the 

 shower of water mixed with hot breath, which is 

 thrown up into the air to the height of eighteen or twenty 

 feet. During this operation the whole of the blood is 

 thoroughly aerated, not only that in the circulatory 

 system, but also the reserve supply, which is stored 

 away in a vast mass of auxiliary blood-vessels which 

 line the interior of the chest. These vessels contain a 

 sufficient stock of the purified blood to sustain the 

 animal for a considerable time without obtaining a fresh 

 supply of air, and it is by no means unusual for a 

 whale to disappear beneath the water for upwards of 

 half-an-hour without rising to replenish its stock. 



Were it not for the knowledge of this habit the 

 difficulties of whaling would be greatly increased ; as 

 it is, however, the huge animal is slain with compara- 

 ;ively little trouble. 



When a whale is seen, a boat puts off and makes 

 for the spot as speedily as possible. 



As soon as the boat approaches within a short dis- 

 tance, a harpoon a spear with a barbed head, to the 

 end of which is attached a coil of rope is flung at the 

 animal. 



