NATURAL HISTORY of NOR WA Y rip 



the fame manner. a Cetacei pifces, auftore Ariftotele, ii proprie 

 u dicuntur, qui magni funt & perfeclum animal ex femine, non 

 u ex ovo, gignunt, ut Delphini, Balsense, Phyfeteres. Quanquam 

 iQ alii, turn Latini, turn Grseci veteres, cetaceos acceperint pro 

 " grandibus cujufvis generis pifcibus. Eofdem Latini belluas 

 fC marinas etiam vocarunt, ab immanitate opinor, & magna cum 

 " terreftribus fimilitudine, nam eodem modo concipiuntur & gig- 

 u nuntur, & pulmones habent, renes, veficam, teftes, mentulam, 

 ic fceminse, vulvam, teftes, mammas ;" lays the learned Fr. Wil- 

 loughby, L. ii. c. 2. p. 26. He adds alfo a little further, that 

 fbme are of opinion the reafcn why the Whale, which formerly 

 was feen almoft every where in the ocean, is found now only in 

 the North fea, is its fear of the mips, which, fince the opening 

 of the trade to the Indies, fail about the Spanifh and African 

 feas: it is therefore fuppofed that they have delerted thofe feas 

 upon that account : but this opinion has little probability ; for we 

 are fenfible that great numbers of mips fail alio on the North 

 Sea $ and particularly they muft be difturbed by the many great 

 fhips that are ftationed annually on that fifhery. By accident per- 

 haps thefe Sea-monfters may carry themfelves too far fouthward j 

 but their proper refidence doubtlefs has been, as it is now, in the 

 North-lea. They are annually feen along the weftern coaft of 

 Norway, about January ; but they are not received as enemies, 

 nor do they meet with any oppoiition, which indeed is not fuf- 

 fered *, but as friends and allies ; tho' this circumftance be un- 

 known to them. They are fsnt by the all- wife Creator feveral Gocfs provi . 

 hundred miles, to ferve as his inftruments, to drive numberlefs dence - 

 Ihoals of Herrings, Mackrel, and other Fifli, into the creeks 

 formed between the rocks and iilands that cover the coaft, and 

 about the fand-banks, to be the fubliftance of many thoufands 

 of people. They likewife caufe the importation of a great deal 

 of wealth, either in fpecie or merchandize. When our pealants 

 and Miermen obferve the Whale at feveral miles diftance, which 

 they know by the appearance of fmall water-fpouts in the air, 

 which they eje& through the openings in the head, by refpira- 

 tion, they conclude by this joyful fignal, that the Winter- 

 harveft or fifhery is approaching. Immediately the fea appears 



covered, 



* There are killed however in Sunds parifh, juft byBergen, and in fome other places, 

 every Spring-, fome of the fmall ones, of 10 or 40 feet in length, which venture too 

 far in the creeks, and fpoil the fiming-nets. They are ftuck with harpoons, the points 

 of which the fmiths know how to poifon, fo that about the wound there will appear a 

 fpot as big as a fmall dim in circumference, which runs thro 5 the fkin, fat and fiefh •, 

 which laft is turn'd quite white, and often mortify'd. The Mem otherwife is of a dark 

 red, and appears almoft like beef: it is eaten by our peafants, who have fhewed it 

 me, and affured me that it taftes well, and is wholfome food. 



