W H A 
W H E 
thargy as die fliafc continues to force it's v/ay 
deeper and deeper into the mufcular flefh, he flies 
ofF with air.azing rapidity. In the mean time th6 
harpoon flicks in his fide,- while the rope, which 
is coiled up in the boat, and runs on a fwivel, 
lengthens as the Whale recedes, but ftill points 
out the part of the deep to which he has retreated. 
This cord is always wound up with great care; 
for fuch is the rapidity with which it runs off", 
that, were it in the leaft checked, as it yields with 
the animal, it would infallibly overfet the boat. 
It alfo fometimes happens, that the rapidity with 
which it runs over the fwivel at the edge of the 
boat, heats it; and it would certainly take fire, 
did not iome |)erfon continually fland with a wet 
mop in his hand, and cool the fwivel as the cord 
runs. The Whale having dived to a confiderable 
depth, remains there fometim.es for the fpace of 
half an hour, v^^ith the harpoon in his body, and 
then rifes to take breath; but no fooner does he 
again appear, than the harpooners are all ready to 
receive him ; and, every time the a^nimal emerges, 
repeat their oiows. The fliip follows in full fail, 
never lofins; fi^ht of the boats, but afFordino; them 
affiftance waen necciTary ; while tiie whole ocean 
feems dyed with blood. Thus they renew their 
attacks, till the WhalC; begins to be quite enfee- 
bled and fpent ; then they plunge a kind of long 
fpears into various parts of it's body, and the 
enormous, creature expires. When dead, in order 
to prevent it from finking, they afjix it to the fide 
of the boat by means of a ftrong iron chain ; and 
either cut it up into pieces, and carry it home in 
that condition, or extrad: the oil from the blub- 
ber on board the fhip. 
Such is the'manner in which Whales were ori- 
ginally taken ; though length of time and expe- 
rience have introduced feveral improvements into 
this as well as other arts. But as a detail of this, 
kind belongs rather to a hiftory of commerce than 
of nature, fuffice it to obferve, that feveral parts 
of this animal, and indeed all but the inteflines 
and bones, are turned to very good account ; not 
only the oil, but alfo the greafe from v>'hlch it is 
feparated." The flefn of this creature is alfo a 
dainty to foine nations ; and even the French fai- 
lors fometimes drefs and ufe it as their ordinary 
diet at fea. It is faid by the Englifh and Dutch 
mariners to be hard and ill-Havqured; while the 
French affert the contrary. The favages of Gi'een- 
land, as well as thofe near the fouth pole, are ex- 
cefTively fond of it ; and eat the fiefn,. and drink 
the oil, as a rirft-rate delicacy. The difcovery of 
a dead Whale on their, coafes is confidered among 
the moft fortunate circuisiflarices oi their wretched 
lives: they fix-their habitations near it; and fel- 
dom remove while any part remains, befides the 
bones. ■ , 
Whale, PrKE-I-iEADED ; the Balgena Boops of 
Linnaeus., The. head of this fpecies is ofan ob- 
long form, doping down, and gradually narrow- 
ing to the nofe ; about fix feet and a lialf from 
the extremity of which there are two, fpout-hples-, 
feparated by a thin divifion. The eyes are fnall ; 
the pedorai fins are about five, feet long, and 
eighteen inches broad ; there is a Jarge horny pro- 
tuberance on the :b,ack, abput eight , feet and a 
half from theitail.; aiid the tail itfelf is about nine I 
feet and a half broad. : The belly is corrugated, i 
and formed into loijgitudi.nal fold^;. and the fkin, 
which 'is Ireinarkably bright and fm.oorh, is black 
on the bfick, aad v^hite on the beily. 
YoL. IL 
This animal receives it's name fiom the fliajiC 
of it's nofe, which is narrov/er and fharper pointed 
than diat of other Whales. 
The fpeciraen from which this defcription is 
taken, was forty-fix feet long; and it's greateil 
circumference twenty feet. It was caught on the 
coaft of Scodand. 
Whale, Round-Lipped ; the Balfena Mufcu- 
lus of Linnseus. The lower lip of this fpecies is 
broader than the upper, and of a femicircular 
form. One of them, taken near Abercorn Caflle, 
in_ Scotland, was feventy-eight feet long, and 
thirty-five in circumference. The mouth was ex- 
tremely wide; the tongue was fifteen feet and a 
half long; and there were two fpout-holes, of a 
pyramidical form, on the forehead. The eyes 
were thirteen feet from the extremity of the nofej 
the length of the pe£toral fins was ten feet; and 
the height of the dorfal fin three feet. The dor- 
fal fin was fituated near the tail, which was eigh- 
teen feet in breadth; and the belly was full of 
folds. 
This fpecies is faid to feed on herrings. 
'Whale, Beaked, Bottle-Head, or Neebe- ' 
Haul. This fpecies is about fourteen feet longs 
and feven and a half in circ^imference. The body 
is very thick; the forehead is, high; the nofe is 
deprefTed, and equally thick througn it's whole 
length, riot unlike the beak of a bird; the mouth 
is dcfdnite of teeth; the eyes are large, but the 
lids fmall ; the fpout-holc, which is fituated on the 
top of the head, is femilunar, the angles pointino- 
towards the tail; the peroral fins are feventeen 
inches long ; the dorfal fin, which is placed nearer 
the tail than the head, is one foot long ; and the 
breadth of the tail is upwards of three feet. 
Thefe fifiies fometimes grow to the length of 
tv/enty feet. They make but little noife in blov/- 
ing; and are very tame, approaching clofe to 
fliips, and accompanying them a confiderable way. 
Whale, Fin-Back; the Balsena Phyfalus of 
Linnseus. This fpecies, called alfo the Fin-fifh, 
is diflinguiflied from the common Whale by a fin 
on it's back, placed very low, and near the tail. 
It's length is equal to that of the largefl fpecies; 
but it is much more flender. It is furniflied with 
whale-bone in the upper jaw, mixed with fhorc 
and knotty, and of little value ; and the blubber 
on the body is very inconfiderable. It is fo ex- 
tremely fierce and aftive, that the capture of it is 
dangerous, and the fifhermen are faid to have ne- 
glefted it; however, the Greenlanders ePteem it 
on account of it's fiefh. It's lips, which are 
brown, refemble twifled ropes : the fpout-hole 
appears as if fplit on the top of it's head; and 
through this it blows water with greater violence, 
and to a greater height, than the common Whale. 
Fifliermen difiike the fight of this animal, as it 
is invariably obferved to drive all others of the 
genus from it's vicinity. 
Whale, Spermaceti. See Cachalot, Phy- 
ETER, and Spermaceti. 
. WHAME. A provincial appellation for the 
burrel-fly, or wriggle-tail ; a fpecies of fly very 
troyblefome to horfes. 
WHEAT BIRD. A name given by the in^ 
habitants of Virginia to a fpecies of bird which 
makes it's appearance in that province about the 
tiipe when the wheat is rip^e,: and foon after difap- 
pears. Before thaf grain was introduced into 
Virginia, diis bird was unknown. 
WHEAT-EAR^i. ti'he Motacilla CEnanthe of 
5 ^ Linnseus„ 
