THE PORPESSE. »J^ 



fcrved no lefs than lis concealed apertures or foramina 

 leading to the braui, which have been fuppofed to be its 

 organs of fmell ; a fenfe which it probably pofleiles in 

 a greater degree than other fifties .* The tongue is flat, 

 pectinated at the edges, and fallened down to the bottom 

 of the mouth f . 



The ilrudure of the yifcera of this fifti appears more 

 complex, and indicates an organization fomewhat fupe- 

 rior to the reft of the tribe ; we are perfuaded however, 

 that a more minute examination of the parts would dif- 

 cover an exact conformity between it and the different ce- 

 taceous tribes. The porpeffe, according to Willoughhy J, 

 has three ftomachs : the firft, large, wrinkly and mufcu- 

 lar, for reducing the ftiells of fiih which it devours ; the 

 fecond was alfo large, empty, and furnifhed v/ith fmal- 

 ler mufcles ; the third appeared a kind of adjun(5l to the 

 other two, and contained a quantity of affimulated chyle, 

 of a livid colour. 



The whole body of the porpelTe, immediately below 

 the Ikin, is covered with a coat of fat refembling lard, of 

 an inch thick. Various ufes, in the economy of the ani- 

 mal, are afTigned to this fubftance : it is fuppofed to de- 

 fend the body from injury and cold ; to diminifli its 

 weight fo as to make it equiponderate with the water, ia 

 order that the filh may alternately rife and fink without 

 effort, while employed in the different operations of 

 breathing and colle£ling food. Beneath this coat pf fat 

 Ties the flefh, red, thick, and mufcular, refembling that 

 of a hog §. 



Of all the cetaceous fiflies, the porpeffes are found in 



greatefl 



• Dan. Major apud Willough." ■)■ Britifii Zool. ubi fupra. J 

 I Hift. pifcium, pr.ge 33. § Idem ubi fupra. 



