OEDER OF CETACEA. 41 



When a whaler is near a mother and her young one, he 

 begins by attacking the young Whale, which is less strong, less 

 active and less experienced than its mother. But the mother 

 places herself between her nursling and its aggressor. She pushes 

 the little one with her flippers and her body, so as to accelerate its 

 escape. If, in spite of these encouragements, it cannot swim fast 

 enough to escape from the danger, she passes one of her flippers 

 under its belly, she raises it, and, holding it thus firmly fixed 

 against her neck and back, she escapes with it. Admirable and 

 touching sight, which shows us, in the depths of the ocean, 

 and in the hearts of the most gigantic creatures, the wondrous 

 sentiment of maternity ! 



Let the tender-hearted reader rejoice ! The Whale-mother 

 sometimes succeeds in carrying off its little one safe and sound. 

 But her vigilance and activity are often baffled by the terrible 

 arms of man. She then shows her pain by the vivacity and the 

 irregularity of her movements. She does not give up the task of 

 saving her dear little wounded one. Forgetful of her own safety, 

 she resolutely seizes hold of it again, at the risk of perishing with 

 it, and she receives a mortal wound rather than abandon her 

 young, which she has uselessly defended. 



This, however, is the only phase in its life in which the Whale 

 shows any courage and resists its enemies. When it is not a 

 mother it is extremely timid. 



The male shows great devotion for his female. "WTien she is 

 attacked he makes repeated efibrts to save her. He passes and 

 repasses round her ; he tries to set her free from the weapon that 

 has wounded her, and if he does not attack her aggressors, neither 

 does he abandon his companion, and often ends by perishing with 

 her, a victim to his devotion. 



This g-iant of the seas has other enemies besides Man ; the most 

 dangerous, the most cruel, after him, is said to be the Narwhal 

 (Monodou momceros). According to Lacepede, these Narwhals, 

 assembling in a troop, advance in line of battle against the Whale, 

 attack it on all sides, bite it, harass it, fatigue it, force it to open 

 its mouth, and then they devour its tongue. 



Lacepede goes on to say that the Narwhals, and also the Sword- 

 fish, stab it with their long weapons, and that Sharks, burying 

 in its belly their five rows of pointed and jagged teeth, tear from 



