I 



134 DESCRIPTION OF A NAR.WAL. 



ed in height as they approached the tail, with the 



e%es of which they at last coalesced. The ani- 

 mal was thickest in the middle, continuing nearly 

 of the same thickness towards the head, but be- 

 coming lengthened or acuminated towards the 

 tail. Owing to these ridges above described, the 

 body appeared of a quadrangular form, especially 

 towards the tail. 



The mouth was somewhat pointed before, and 

 the upper lip extended a little way beyond the 

 under. The extent of the opening of the mouth 

 was small, being little more than five inches in 

 depth. 



The eye was situated behind the opening of the 

 mouth, and nearly under the blowhole. It was 

 about an inch in diameter. The orbit was oval ; 

 the pupil black ; the iris of a chesnut colour ; 

 and the sclerotic coat, white. 



There were two swimming -paws, (if I may be 

 allowed the expression), corresponding to the pec- 

 toral fins in fishes, situated in the forepart of the 

 body towards the under-side. These were thirty 

 inches distant from the snout, fifteen inches long, 

 five inches broad at the base, and six inches 

 broad towards the middle of the paw. They 

 were pointed and wedge-shaped, thickest in the 

 forenart, and thinnest behind. The distance be- 

 tween the extreme points of both paws, measuring 

 across the body, was forty-six inches. The di- 

 mensions of these swimming-paws, must be con- 

 sidered as uncommonly small, when compared 



