ORDER CETACEA. 491 



similar aliments. Some of the Balenoptera prey on fish of 

 tolerable size, and particularly such as assemble in troops, 

 such as mackerel, herrings, fyc. 



There is no certainty respecting the longevity of the 

 Whales. We may presume, however, that individuals of 

 the larger species might have lived more than a thousand 

 years. We need not be surprised at the genius of allegory 

 adopting them as the emblems of duration. 



On the subject of the Whale-fishery, <^c, it would be 

 foreign to the nature of our work to enter, and even were 

 it otherwise, the notoriety of the subject would render any 

 remarks of ours superfluous. 



As we have enlarged so much in our general remarks on 

 the Balaenae, we must avoid too minute details respecting 

 the species. 



The Common Whale (Balana Mysticetus,) to which most 

 of the foregoing remarks apply, is otherwise remarkable 

 for the immense power of one organ ; namely, the tail. 

 The tail of the Mysticetus is of the figure of a cone, the 

 base of which is applied to the body properly so called. 

 The muscles which move it are so vigorous, and their irri- 

 tability so great, that even when great portions of them are 

 detached from the caudal fin, it will still continue to bound, 

 and that even when separated from the body. A longitu- 

 dinal projection extends in the upper part of this tail, from 

 the middle of its length to its extremity, which is termi- 

 nated by the great fin of which we have already spoken. 



In this tail resides the real power of the Whale. It is 

 the main-spring of its swiftness, and acts as a most vigorous 

 lever. It is with this, as with an enormous weapon, that it 

 repels its enemies, and often destroys them. Endowed with 

 the most extraordinary suppleness, mobility, and force, it has 

 been sometimes known to overturn and submerge vessels 

 of no mean burden. 



If we reflect that a whale may weigh about three hun- 



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