S E A B E L U G A, 183 



tTmes harpooned. They bring only one young at a time, which is 

 dufky ; but grow white as they advance in age ; the change firft 

 commencing on the belly. They are apt to follow boats, as if they 

 were tamed ; and appear extremely beautiful, by reafon of their re- 

 fplendent whitenefs *. 



It being a fpecies very little known, and never well engraven, I 

 fliall give a brief defcription, and adjoin an engraving taken from 

 an excellent drawing communicated to me by Dr. Pallas. 



The head is fhort : nofe blunt: fpiracle fmall, of the form of a Description. 

 crefcent : eyes very minute : mouth fmall : in each fide of each jaw 

 are nine teeth, fhort, and rather blunt ; thofe of the upper jaw are 

 bent, and hollowed, fitted to receive the teeth of the lower jaw when 

 the mouth is clofed : peftoral fins nearly of an oval form : beneath 

 the fkin may be felt the bones of five fingers, which terminate at 

 the edge of the fin in five very fenfibfe projeftions. This brings it 

 into the next of rank in the order of beings with the Manati. The 

 tail is divided into two lobes, which lie horizontally, but do not 

 fork, except a little at their bafe. The body is oblong, and rather 

 flender, tapering from the back (which is a little elevated) to the 

 tail. It is quite deftitute of the dorfal fin. 



Its length is from twelve to eighteen feet. It makes great uie of Size., 



its tail in fwimming ; for it bends that part under it, as a Lobfter 

 does its tail, and works it with fuch force as to dart along with the 

 rapidity of an arrow. 



A full account of the fifli of the Whale kind, feen by the Reverend 

 Dr. Borlaje f between the Land's End and the Scilly iflands, is a 

 defideratum in the Britifi Natural Hiftory. He defcribcs them as 

 being from twelve to fifteen feet long ; fome were milk-white, oth»rs 

 brown, others fpotted. They are called Tbornbacks, from a fharp 

 and broad fin on the back. This deftroys my fufpicion of their be-- 

 ing of the above fpecies. 



• Eaun, Gmnl. 51.. t Ob/, Scillj IJlatids,.^* 



!¥.. Winged. 



