FEEDING. 
35 
It appears from all I can learn among the oldest and 
most experienced whalers, and from the observations I 
have been enabled to make myself upon this interesting 
subject, that when this whale is inclined to feed, he 
descends a certain depth below the surface of the ocean, 
and there remains in as quiet a state as possible, opening 
his narrow elongated mouth until the lower jaw hangs 
down perpendicularly, or at right angles with the body. 
The roof of his mouth, the tongue, and especially the 
teeth, being of a bright glistening white colour, must of 
course present a remarkable appearance, which seems to 
be the incitement by which his prey are attracted, and 
when a sufficient number, I am strongly led to suppose, 
are within the mouth, he rapidly closes his jaw and 
swallows the contents ; which is not the only instance of 
animals obtaining their prey by such means, when the 
form of their bodies, from unwieldiness or some other 
cause, prevents them from securing their prey in any 
other manner, or by the common method of the chase. 
The crocodile frequently employs stratagems of the like 
nature : covering himself in mud, and lying still on the 
bank of some stream, or pond, he opens his enormous 
jaws, when hundreds of small reptiles, attracted by the 
mucus, or slime, which covers their interior, become the 
easy prey of the artful machinations of their scaly deceiver. 
The great American ant-eater also puts into action a 
practice which is very similar, for thrusting out his long 
tongue, which is warm, slimy, and steaming, over some 
ant-hill, it soon becomes covered with hundreds of those 
insects, who endeavour to make a similar property of the 
very organ by which they are entrapped. When covered, 
