394 



ACCOUNT OF A BELUGA 



before it could have reached it. Excepting the 

 spiracula, we saw nothing that had a resemblance 

 to nostrils ; and that resemblance consisted in no* 

 thing but simply in this, that they were organs of 

 breathing. Cuvier informs us, that he never yet has 

 found olfactory nerves in this genus : " Marsouins 

 et les Dauphins, n'ont point du tout de nerfs ol- 

 factifs." He ought to have said, that the nerves 

 ramified upon their spiracula, are neither in their 

 course nor in their origin similar to the olfactory 

 nerves of other animals. All the lateral parts of 

 the head were examined repeatedly, and by seve- 

 ral gentlemen, for an external ear, but not a ves- 

 tige of one could be found. 



Explanation 



