ORDER CETACEA. 473 



Zones, or under the burning skies of the Equator. In 

 general we might assert that the Cachalots frequent every 

 sea, that like the erratic birds, they adopt ho peculiar 

 country, but advance, sojourn, or recede, according to the 

 proportional supply of food they meet with. This is the more 

 easily conceived, when we remember that the inhabitants of 

 the deep can always procure an equal temperature accord- 

 ing to the degree of their immersion in the waters. 



The external form of the Cachalots, is not, as we have 

 seen, universally the same. The general shape of their 

 bodies is an ellipsis more or less perfect, and by no means 

 agreeable. The form of the Common Dolphin accords 

 most with our received notions of beauty. 



The two jaws of the Cachalots differ in their relative pro- 

 portions not only in the different species, but often are dis- 

 similar in one individual to the rest of his kind. In some 

 they are of equal length, in some the upper is longest and 

 widest ; and in some the upper jaw is completely surrounded 

 and cased as it were by the upper, and in others the con- 

 trary arrangement takes place. 



Concerning the teeth enough has been said, and also con- 

 cerning the situation, direction, #c, of the spiracles, which 

 in the whole tribe have one common vent. 



There are few of the species which are not animals of 

 extreme ferocity. They are in general, the most cruel and 

 dangerous inhabitants of the deep, where they reign as 

 despotic conquerors with an empire absolute and destruc- 

 tive. They are not contented with repelling any attack, 

 but dash with fury against everything which appears to re- 

 sist them. They combat with intrepidity, cover the seas 

 with blood, and pursue their prey with a bitterness and 

 pertinacity that has scarcely any parallel in animated 

 nature. 



They are all distinguished by the extreme rapidity of their 

 movements. They appear and disappear like lightning. 



Vol. IV. 2 I 



