92 NATURAL liJSTOitY. 



acts as a sieve for the Whale to strain his food through. The 

 throat of the Greenland Whale is very small indeed, and its 

 food consists of a little creature about an inch and a half 

 long, called Clio horealis. The Whale, when it wishes to 

 feed, rushes through the water with its immense jaws wide 

 open, enclosing a host of little sea animals, and a few hogs- 

 heads of water. As the Whale only wants the animals, and 

 not the water, it shuts its mouth, and drives all the water out 



Mysticutus (Or. Muarfls, a moustache ; K//TOC, a son monster), the Whalr. 



through the fringes of whalebone, leaving the little creatures 

 in its jaws. The sailors, who always use forcible expressions, 

 say that a penny loaf would choke a whale. 



For the capture of this animal, a number of ships leave 

 England, France, and other countries, reaching the Polar 

 Seas about the end of April. When arrived at their destina- 

 tion, a careful look-out is kept from the mast-head for " fish," 



