Whales.] 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



243 



along the coasts ol'China, Japan, Madagascar, Africa, 

 and also South America. Its consistence resembles 

 that of common wax ; it is fatty, inflammable, and 

 when heated emits a fragrant but powerful musk}'" 

 odour. In general it is mixed up with the beaks of 

 cuttle-fish, the bones of fishes, and other foreign mat- 

 ters. For a long time the nature of this substance 

 was utterly unknown. It has been regarded by 

 some as a sort of bitumen, or as a kind of gu«m, 

 and by others as a composition of wax and honey. 

 It is now known to be produced, as a concretion, in 

 the intestines of the cachalot, and is often found in 

 sickly or diseased animals; indeed, Dr. Schwediawer 

 asserts that the existence of these indigestible con- 

 cretions often occasions abdominal abscesses, after 

 the bursting of which the ambergris is found float- 

 ing on the surface of the sea. Formerly this sub- 

 stance was in high estimation as a medicine ; at 

 present it is only used as a perfume, but is seldom 

 to be obtained unadulterated. As in most of the 

 Cetacea, the skull of the cachalot is destitute of sym- 

 metry, having a turn as it were, or bend, towards the 

 left; it is asserted also that the left eye is smaller 

 and more limited in visual range than the right, on 

 which account the sailors endeavour to attack it on 

 its left. Mr. Bennett makes no allusion to this cir- 

 cumstance, but merely observes that if boats are not 

 brought within the line of vision, the animal maybe 

 approached with great facility, the sense of hearing 

 being very imperfect ; " a deficiency, however, which 

 appears to be in some measure compensated for by 

 the perfection in which it possesses the sense of 

 touch, through the medium of a smooth skin abun- 

 dantly supplied with nervous papillae. It even ap- 

 pears as though the cachalots had the means of con- 

 veying impressions to one another through the water, 

 at considerable distances ; for it is a fact well known 

 to the southern whalers, that upon a cachalot being 

 struck from a boat, others that are miles distant will 

 almost instantaneously display by their actions an 

 apparent, consciousness of what has occurred, and 

 either take themselves off or come down to the aid 

 of their injured companion." This intelligence he 

 supposes can only be communicated by a concussion 

 of the water. 



We have said that the cachalot roams all seas ; 

 it appears, however, to be more scarce in the arctic 

 latitudes than formerly, but is abundant in the 

 Southern Ocean, and within the regions of the ant- 

 arctic circle. According to Colnett, the neighbour- 

 hood of the Galapagos constitutes a sort of rendez- 

 vous in spring for all the cachalots frequenting the 

 coasts of Mexico, Peru, and the Gulf of Panama. 

 , We have several instances on record of this ani- 

 mal having been captured on our own coast, and on 

 that of the adjacent continent ; it has been seen in 

 the Mediterranean, off the southern shores of Europe, 

 as well as off the shores of Southern Africa, and in 

 the Channel of Mozambique. 



In 176!) a cachalot was killed in the Frith of Forth, 

 and one was seen off the Kentish coast. In 1774 a 

 large one was stranded on the coast of Norfolk ; 

 some few years since a small one was captured in 

 the Thames near Gravesend. In 1784 thirty-two 

 cachalots ran aground on the coast of Audierne, being 

 stranded on the sands towards Cape Estain. In 

 1819 one of 63 feet in length was killed in Whit- 

 stable Bay. According to Lowe, the cachalot "is 

 often driven ashore about the Orkneys, nay, some- 

 times caught." 



Tlte general colour of this species is greyish black 

 above, lighter beneath ; the eye is small, with a few 

 stiff hairs around. There is no dorsal fin, but a dis- 

 tinct protuberance; the pectoral fins are small, and 

 slightly grooved longitudinally. Fig. 1097 repre- 

 sents a portion of the lower jaw, to show the teeth. 

 Fig. 1098, the skull seen from below. Fig. 1099, 

 the back view of the skull, showing its occipital 

 elevation above the articulating processes and fora- 

 men magnum (See also Fig. 1094). 



Family Baljenid^e (the true Whales). — These ani- 

 mals equal the cachalot in size, but have the head 

 more proportionate to the bulk of the body, and dis- 

 play a less clumsy contour. They are moreover 

 distinguished from all other Cetacea by the total ab- 

 sence of teeth; their place in the upper jaw, which 

 is extremely narrow, being supplied by pendant 

 horny laminse, called whalebone, or baleen. The 

 palate of the whale is arched and oval (see Fig. 

 1100), and forms a vaulted roof to which the plates 

 of baleen are attached transversely, in two rows, pa- 

 rallel to each other. Each plate consists of a cen- 

 tral coarse fibrous layer, lying between two, which 

 are compact and externally polished, constituting a 

 sort of enamel or varnish; but which outer layers 

 do not cover the internal or true baleen to its ex- 

 treme free edge : the latter, therefore, extends beyond 

 the former, and terminates in a fringe, in which are 

 entangled the small molluscous animals which con- 

 stitute the food of this huge animal. Each plate of 

 baleen is of a subtriangular figure, and its base, at- 

 tached to the palate, has a long furrow, fixed upon 

 a pulp, buried deeply in the firm vascular substance 



of the gum covering the under surface of the max- 

 illary and intermaxillary bones. The outer layers, 

 of compact matter, are continuous with a white 

 horny layer of the gum which passes on to the sur- 

 face of each plate, and the pulp is therefore the se- 

 creting organ of the internal layer of coarse elastic 

 fibres. The number of plates composing each row 

 is from 300 to 400, and the palate being oval, the 

 longest are those situated in medio ; those towards 

 the muzzle and near the entrance of the throat being 

 consequently the shortest. The longest of these la- 

 minse often measure 15 feet and upwards in length ; 

 and the abbreviation anteriorly and posteriorly is 

 gradual. Each plate, as we have said, is fringed, and 

 the filaments of the fringe are very numerous, and fill 

 up the cavity of the mouth sufficiently to form a 

 strainer. The lower jaw is arched boldly outwards on 

 each side, so as to form abroad ellipse, the margin of 

 a huge spoon which ladles in and conveys to the 

 strainer or fringes vast quantities of water replete with 

 shoals of small Crustacea, of the clio borealis, and 

 other small tenants of the briny deep, which abso- 

 lutely crowd its waters. The tongue is very large, 

 thick, fleshy, fat, soft, and spongy. In the Greenland 

 whale it often exceeds 20 feet in length, and nine or 



-ten in width. The orifice of the gullet is very small ; 

 so that fish even of a moderate size cannot pass 

 down. The eyes are small, and seated just above 

 the angle of the enormous mouth. There are two 

 distinct blow-holes on the top of the head. The 

 skin is smooth and glossy. The blubber is abundant. 

 In the Greenland whale the layer of this subcuta- 



• neous lard varies from eight or ten to 20 inches in 

 depth, and a single whale of large size will yield 

 about 40 tons;* but much more has occasionally 

 been obtained. The lips appear to be composed 

 of little more than cellular tissue and blubber. 



Referring to our pictorial specimens of osteology, 

 Fig. 1101 shows the skull of the Greenland whale" in 

 profile ; Fig. 1102, an upper view of the same ; Fig. 

 1103, an under view of the same, with the lower jaw 

 removed; Fig. 110-1 represents the skeleton of the 

 Greenland whale, in which the rudiments of the 

 pelvis are apparent. 



1105, 1106.— The Greenland Whale, or 

 Great Mysticete 



(Balance Mysticetus). This colossal animal, yield- 

 ing oil and whalebone, both valuable in a com- 

 mercial point of view, is a native of the arctic seas, 

 whither it is followed by a daring race of mariners 

 amidst horrid icebergs and extensive floes, where 

 danger in every form is imminent. Cold, intense 

 beyond description, — this has to be borne ; hunger, 

 for often are the vessels ice-bound, and the pro- 

 visions scanty, — this has to be endured ; watchful- 

 ness, fatigue, and the chance of being ingulfed 

 during the tremendous conflict, — these the sailor 

 bears and braves, content if he return home with a 

 rich harvest gleaned from the arctic waters. The 

 Greenland whale, therefore, even in this sense, is 

 one of the most interesting of the Cetacea ; nor is it 

 less so from its habits and manners, which various 

 observers, and in particular Captain Scoresby, have 

 contributed to illustrate. The ordinary length of 

 this species is from sixty to seventy or eighty feet ; 

 but it is said to attain occasionally to greater dimen- 

 sions. Seen at a distance, it appears as a dark ill- 

 defined mass floating on the surface of the water, 

 and indeed it is only when lying on its side, after 

 death, that its true outline is to be made out. (See 

 Fig. 1106.) 



It is upon minute animals, such as small shrimp- 

 like Crustacea, the clio borealis, medusae, &c, that 

 this huge animal supports his colossal frame. 

 Ploughing his way beneath the surface with open 

 mouth, he engulfs his prey by myriads, which be- 

 come entangled among the filaments fringing the 

 baleen, and thus are as it were sifted from the water, 

 which escapes at the sides. Every few minutes he 

 rises to breathe, expelling through the blow-holes a 

 column of steam and water, and again plunges to 

 continue his repast. In order to dive, the whale first 

 raises his head, and then plunges it under the sur- 

 face, drawing his tail at the same time underneath 

 the body so as to form the segment of a circle ; 

 instantaneously he strikes it out, and goes down like 

 a shot. The length of time passed beneath the 

 surface varies, but according to Captain Scoresby it 

 seldom exceeds half an hour, and this only when 

 harpooned ; under such circumstances, on appearing 

 again, which is generally at a considerable distance 

 from the spot where the animal descended, he is 

 always in a state of great exhaustion, owing chiefly 

 to the immense pressure it has sustained, but no 

 doubt in part to the long suspension of respiration : 

 under ordinary circumstances the whale rises to 

 breathe every eight or ten minutes. 



The velocity of the. whale is very great. Captain 

 Scoresby harpooned one which, on being struck, de- 

 scended" four hundred fathoms, at the rate of eight 

 miles an hour. But under the pain of this weapon 



* The pruportioi of pure oil to the blabber is as three to four. 



they often descend a much greater depth, subject- 

 ing themselves to an enormous pressure of water, 

 and are at the same time so overcome by terror, as 

 often to bruise themselves severely by the rocks met 

 with in their course, and sometimes even to strike 

 so violently against the hard bed of the ocean as to 

 fracture their jaws. At the depth of 800 fathoms 

 Captain Scoresby calculates the pressure at 21 1,200 

 tons. 



The most pleasing as well as astonishing exhi- 

 bition of the power and activity of these animals is 

 during the pairing season, when they gambol and 

 frolic in the waters, throwing themselves about in 

 the exuberance of delight, little aware of the ap- 

 proach of their enemies. Sometimes they dart 

 along the surface, and then dive and re-ascend with 

 such energy as to leap entirely out of the water; 

 sometimes they raise themselves perpendicularly, 

 sometimes, head downwards, they flourish then- 

 tails aloft, and lash the water with tremendous 

 violence, throwing the sea around them into foam, 

 and producing a roaring noise resounding to a 

 considerable distance. The tail is, in fact, not only 

 their organ of locomotion, but their weapon of 

 defence, and though extremely timid and peaceful, 

 they often use it, when driven to despair, with ter- 

 rible effect; and this the more particularly when 

 one of a pair is struck, or the life of the cub is in 

 danger. The mutual attachment of each pair, and 

 the affection of the female for her young one, are 

 intense ; and many are the instances on record in. 

 which the one has died in defending the other. 

 Captain Anderson relates that, " having struck one 

 of two whales, a male and female, that were in 

 company together, the wounded one made a long 

 and terrible resistance ; it struck down a boat with 

 five men in it by a single blow of the tail, and all 

 went to the bottom ; the other still attended its 

 companion, and lent it every assistance, until at 

 last the whale that had been struck sunk under its 

 wounds, while its faithful associate, disdaining to 

 survive the loss, stretched itself upon the dead 

 animal, sharing its fate." A more affecting instance, 

 exemplifying the strength of maternal attachment, 

 is related by Captain Scoresby. One of his har- 

 pooners struck a cub, in the hope of capturing the 

 mother (a plan, we are sorry to say, frequently 

 made use of), who arose, and seizing the young one 

 with her paddle, dived instantly, dragging about a 

 hundred fathoms of line out of the boat with con- 

 siderable velocity. Again she arose to the surface, 

 furiously darted to and fro ; frequently stopping 

 short, or suddenly changing her direction, and ex- 

 hibiting every symptom of extreme agony. For a 

 considerable length of time she thus continued to 

 act, although closely pursued by the boats, but her 

 concern for her offspring made her regardless of the 

 danger by which she was surrounded. After two 

 fruitless trials, she was harpooned, but even then 

 did not attempt to escape, notwithstanding her suf- 

 ferings, but still clung to her offspring, and allowed 

 the other boats to approach, so that in a few- 

 minutes three more harpoons were fastened, and in 

 the course of an hour both the mother and cub' 

 were floating dead. 



The female of this species produces only one cub 

 at a birth, which remains under her care for a con- 

 siderable period, until, by the development of the 

 baleen plates, it is enabled to procure its own sup- 

 port. The whale usually lives in pairs, but some- 

 times numbers are seen together, in places to 

 which abundance of food or other causes induce 

 them to resort. 



The unceasing persecution to which the Green- 

 land whale has been long subjected has not only 

 thinned its numbers, but driven it from localities in 

 which it was formerly common. It is at present 

 chiefly to be found in the icy seas of Spitsbergen, 

 in Davis's Straits, Baffin's Bay, and the waters of 

 the polar circle. General colour above, a velvety- 

 blackish grey ; under parts, white. 



An allied species, the Cape or Southern Whale 

 (Balaena Australis, Cuv.), but not attaining to so 

 large a size, inhabits the Southern Ocean, and in 

 the month of June visits the bays of Africa adja- 

 cent to the Cape of Good Hope, for the purpose of 

 bringing forth its young. It is, in fact, only the 

 females that thus approach the coast, and they 

 return to the main ocean in September. Two skele- 

 tons, brought by De Lalande in 1820, are in the 

 museum of Paris, and the osteological differences 

 between this and the Greenland whale have been 

 described by Cuvier. The speculations of com- 

 merce have been directed to this representative of 

 the northern mysticete, which at a future day may 

 in like manner become driven from its old haunts 

 to more remote abodes. 



Fig. 1107 is the outline of a species of Balsena 

 (Balaena Antipodarum), tenanting the ocean near 

 New Zealand. Fig. 1108 represents the mode of 

 attacking the Greenland whale ; and Fig. 1109 con- 

 veys some idea of the dangers of the contest. The 

 cut relates to the following incident: — "Captain 



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