60 



WHALE ROOM. 



Macdonald, E.E., by whom it 

 was presented to the Museum. 

 Upon one side of this skeleton 

 has been built up the model of 

 the external form of the animal. 

 The Sperm- Whale is the prin- 

 cipal source of supply of the 

 sperm - oil and spermaceti of 

 commerce. The former is ob 

 tained by boiling the fat or 

 blubber lying beneath the skin 

 ov6r the whole body ; the 

 latter, in a liquid state at 

 the ordinary temperature of 

 the living animal, is contained 

 in cells which fill the immense 

 cavity on the top of the skull. 

 This Whale, which feeds chiefly 

 on Cephalopods (Squid and 

 Cuttlefish), as well as Fishes, is 

 widely distributed throughout 

 the warm and temperate regions 

 of both Atlantic and Pacific 

 Oceans. The skeleton is that 

 of a full - grown animal, and 

 measures fifty feet, one inch in 

 length, although wanting three 

 of the vertebrae from the end 

 of the tail. 



In order to render this 

 skeleton* more instructive, the 

 names of the principal parts 

 have been attached to them. 

 This will enable the visitor 

 to trace at a glance the extra- 

 ordinary modifications in the 

 form and relations of its com- 

 ponent bones the htige skull 

 has undergone. 



