iS6 THE WORLD OF ANIMAL LIFE 



Still, however, as a good deal of oil clings to it, it has to be 

 melted two or three times, and carefully purified, and then passed 

 through very close hair-sieves, before it is fit for use. The oil 

 itself is very valuable, and is much prized for the clear, white light 

 which it gives when burnt in lamps. 



Whales are killed with a harpoon — a stout barbed spear — 

 with a long rope-line fastened to it. The aim of the hunters is 

 always to exhaust the whale, by preventing it from breathing, 

 after it has been struck by the harpoon. As soon as it rises to 

 the surface and begins to " spout ", they row to the spot as quickly 

 as possible, and cause it to dive again beneath the surface. They 

 then wait for it to rise, and do the same again and again, until 

 the poor animal is so spent as to fall an easy prey. A long and 

 ver)' sharp lance is then driven into some vital part of the body; 

 and in a short time the animal is floating dead at the surface of the 

 water. 



Whales are the largest animals now known, being sometimes 

 more than a hundred feet in length. One, which was killed off 

 the British coasts some years ago, measured ninety-five feet in 

 length, and weighed two hundred and forty-nine tons! But they 

 are so much persecuted that they now very seldom grow to their 

 full size before meeting with some whaling-vessel, and falling 

 victims to the harpoon and lance. 



THE PORPOISE 



It is a pretty sight to see the Porpoise at play. It rolls and 

 tumbles about in the water as if it were the happiest of beings. 

 The porpoise is perhaps the most familiar of the cetaceans. It 

 is to be seen any day during the herring season in our bays, lochs, 

 and river-mouths. This is because it lives on herring, mackerel, 

 and other small fish. As herring are always found in very large 

 shoals, the porpoise has a very happy time during the season, 

 and it seems to roll about for very joy. 



Porpoises are generally seen in companies or "schools" of 

 from six to twelve, and often more, and as they always travel in 



