THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 949 
him do, after having been unsuccessfully chased by 
the boats.”* 
A Whale will occasionally place himself perpen- 
dicularly in the water, his whole head being visible, 
presenting a most extraordinary appearance, like a 
black rock in the Ocean: the object of this posture 
is to take a rapid and comprehensive glance around 
him, when he is apprehensive of danger. Some- 
times, when attacked by boats, he will carefully 
sweep his tail from side to side upon the surface, 
as if to discover by feeling, the object of his dread. 
At other times, he amuses himself by lashing the 
water with the same organ, in the most violent man- 
ner; covering the sea with foam, while the strokes 
resound on every side. Breaching or leaping bodily 
into the air, is alluded to in the above extract. 
The food of the Sperm Whale consists of different 
species of cuttle or squid, occasionally varied with 
small fish: to obtain these, Mr. Beale supposes with 
much probability, that he descends to a consider- 
able depth, and remaining as quiet as possible, 
allows his narrow lower jaw to hang down perpen- 
dicularly at right angles with his body. The whole 
inside of his mouth, and particularly the teeth, being 
of a glistening white hue, the squid are attracted 
to visit it, and when a sufficient number are within, 
the mouth is supposed to be closed. That the prey 
is-obtained in some other way than by pursuit is 
proved by the fact, that Whales are often found 
blind, and »thers with the lower jaw distorted, which 
yet are in as good condition as others. These dis- 
* Beale’s Sperm Whale, p. 49. 
