54 MAMMALIA. 



in proportion as the air is driven out of the bronchial tubes and 

 is replaced by water. 



We have just described the process, which we call classical, em- 

 ployed in capturing the Whale. This process is insufficient now, 

 because the Whales have become timid, and knowing their danger, 

 ilee before their pursuers, at the moment when the latter flatter 

 themselves that they are about to catch them. A French gun-maker, 

 M. Devisme, invented for whaling an explosive projectile. The 

 hallc foudroyante or a percussion of M. Devisme has two little 

 wings, which, opening at the^ moment of the explosion in the body 

 of the animal, forma sort of harjjoon. The halle foudroyante pro- 

 posed by M. Devisme for hunting dangerous animals, which should 

 be killed at the first shot, such as Lions, Tigers, or Elephants, and 

 which he considers equally suited for attacking great spouting 

 Whales, is nothing but a kind of howitzer shell, reduced to 

 dimensions small enough to allow of its being fired from an 

 ordinary I'ifled carbine. This ball contains a certain quantity of 

 powder, which G«n be ignited by the percussion of a fulminating 

 capsule contained in its interior. 



This haUe foudroyante (Fig- 15) is cylindrical, and eight centi- 

 metres in length ; it is formed of a copper tube, covered at its 

 base with a coating of lead for^dbout the length of two centi- 

 metres. This jjlate of lead forces itself, at the moment the gun is 

 fired, into the grooves of the barrel of the carbine, the calibre of 

 which is the same as that of the Vincennes carbine. The ujjper 

 part of this ball is a coj^per cone, screwing on to the tube. This 

 cone is armed with a piston, at the lower extreniitjr of which is 

 placed an ordinary cap, which rests upon a steel cross-piece. When 

 the projectile has hit the object shot at, this steel cross-piece 

 crushes the fulminating capsule, and the six grains of powder 

 contained in the ball ignite and send the whole projectile flying 

 about in death-bearing splinters. 



Of all the means tried until now to strike and kill the "WTiale from 

 a distance, the only one which has, as yet at least, been actually 

 emiDloyed is an American projectile, which has received the name 

 of homh-lance. This engine (Fig. 16) is composed of a cast-iron 

 tube, of from thirty to fortjr centimetres in length bj^ two to three 

 in diameter. This tube is filled with about a himdred crains of 

 gunpowder. It terminates above in a triangidar pyramid, with 



