ORDER CETACEA. 467 



place between the males, accompanied by loud and piercing 

 cries. When once the males and females are coupled off 

 together, they retire to the most unfrequented shores, such as 

 the neighbourhood of the Gallapagos Isles, where they rush 

 in crowds from the coasts of Mexico and Peru, and the Gulf 

 of Panama. Gestation lasts from nine to ten months, and 

 rarely more than one young animal is born ; the affection 

 of the mother for it is a model of tenderness, and she 

 affords an astonishing example of courage in its defence. 



The fat of the Cachalot is seven inches thick, and the 

 flesh is quite red ; the intestines and tendons are employed 

 for the same purpose as those of the Narwhal. The 

 Indians make instruments for fishing and hunting of the 

 teeth and many of the bones. The tongue is considered a 

 delicacy by northern nations. The oil gives a clear flame 

 without any unpleasant smell, and with the fibres of the 

 muscles is made an excellent isinglass ; but what the 

 Cachalots are particularly pursued for, are the Adipocera 

 or spermaceti, and the ambergris. 



The first of these substances is derived from the head of 

 the Cachalot. After removing the skin, the teguments, the 

 fat, and also a black membrane which envelops some very 

 large nerves on the summit of this enormous head, the bony 

 cap of the cranium is observable, which is more or less 

 solid. Then is its cavity observed, which is divided into 

 two wide unequal portions by a membrane tissued with 

 nerves horizontally disposed. From these two cavities, 

 which have been justly compared to caverns, are some- 

 times drawn from eighteen to twenty tons of this matter 

 then in a liquid state. 



We must observe, however, that this fluid matter is not 

 contained directly in these two cavities : each of them is 

 divided into several compartments by another membrane 

 very much resembling the interior pellicle of an egg, and 

 which contains the spermaceti. This during the life of the 



