The Cetacea, or WJiales. 119 



blubber and other parts of the body we obtain the 

 valuable oil, which in many countries is almost a 

 necessity of life ; the so-called ' whalebone,' and the 

 bones themselves are of considerable value ; and, by 

 the dwellers of the polar regions, almost every part of 

 the body is used as food, the skin, and, more 

 particularly, certain parts of the gums, being considered 

 as very great dainties. 



The curious substance popularly known as ' whale- 

 bone ' deserves a few words. 



To the title of ' bone ' it has no claims whatever, its 

 structure being analogous to that of hair, feathers, scales, 

 and teeth, which are merely the same substance under 

 different forms. It is found in the jaws, lying in thin 

 flat plates of various breadth, and from ten to twelve 

 feet in length. These do not spring from the gums 

 themselves, but from a curious vascular formation 

 resting upon them. Each plate is split at the extremity 

 into a number of hair-like filaments. 



In a certain sense, the whalebone takes the place of 

 the teeth, inasmuch as it captures the prey, although it is 

 not used for mastication, which, from the nature of 

 the food, is rendered unnecessary. Its use is as 

 follows. 



Those species of whales which are provided with 

 the 'baleen,' or whalebone, prey upon creatures of very 

 minute size, such as small shrimps, crabs, and lobsters, 

 medusae, etc., which are generally found in large 

 shoals. Its chief food consists of a small mollusc 

 called the Clio. Opening its huge jaws to the widest 

 extent, the whale drives rapidly through the shoal, thus 

 filling the mouth with the little creatures; the jaws are 

 then closed, and the contained water is driven out 

 through the interstices of the whalebone. This, how- 

 ever, completely prevents the escape of the prey, which 

 can then be swallowed at leisure. 



