78 MAMMALIA. 



It passed from the apothecary's laboratory to the naturalist's 

 collection, where it was long preserved under the name of horn 

 or tusk of the Unicorn. 



In the fable of " Les oreilles du Lievre," La Fontaine alludes to 

 these superstitious notions. A Lion, wounded by a horned animal, 

 issues a decree that every animal having horns be banished from 

 his domain. A Hare perceiving the shadow of its own ears, and 

 fearing that they would be taken for horns, is preparing to go 

 into banishment. 



"Adieu, voisin Grillon," dit-il; " je pars d'ici ! 



Mes oreilles enfiu seraient cornes aussi ; 



Et quand je les aurais plus oourtes qu'une Autrucke, 



Je craindrais meme encor." Le Grillon repartit— 



" Comes cela ! Vous me preuez pour cruche ! 



Ce sont oreilles que Dieu fit." 



" On les fera passer pour cornes," 



Dit I'animal craintif, " et cornes de Licornes ! "* 



The true nature of this tusk was shown for the first time by a 

 naturalist of the Renaissance, one "Wormius, who had found it 

 affixed in its socket in a skull similar to that of a Whale. But it 

 was not till 1671 that Frederick Martens gave a tolerably correct 

 description of the Narwhal. These Cetaceans live in the neighbour- 

 hood of Iceland, and in the seas which wash the shores of Greenland. 

 They gather together in the creeks of the ice islands, and travel 

 in bands. It would be very difficult to take them if they did not 

 live in troops ; for, when isolated, they swim with such rapidity as 

 to escape from all pursuit. But when they are near together they 

 mutually embarrass each other, and are easily caught. ^VTien the 

 fishing-boats glide cautiously in between their long files thej'" 

 close their ranks, and press against each other so much that they 

 paralyze each other's movements ; they become entangled in the 

 tusks of those near them, or else, lifting their heads in the air, 

 they rest their tusks on the backs of those which are in front of 

 them. They can from that minute neither retreat, nor advance, 



* " Adieu, neighbour Cricket," said he; "I depart hence ! 

 My ears at last will be horns also ; 



And even if they were shorter than those of an Ostrich, 

 I should still be afraid." The Cricket answered — 

 "Those horns ! You must take me for a fool ! 

 Those are ears which G-od has given yon." 

 " They will make them pass for horns," 

 Said the timid creature ; " and for Unieoru's horns too !" 



