BREATHING. 
the nose the spout is thrown up, which, when seen from 
a distance, appears thick, low, and bushy (see cut, p. 33, 
fig, 3), and of a white colour : it is formed of the expired 
air, which is forcibly ejected by the animal through the 
blow-hole, acquiring its white colour from minute par- 
ticles of water, previously lodged in the chink, or fissure 
of the nostril, and also from the condensation of the 
aqueous vapour thrown off by the lungs. The spout is 
projected from the blow-hole, at an angle of 135 degrees 
in a slow and continuous manner, for the space of 
about three seconds of time ; — if the weather is fine and 
clear, and there is a gentle breeze at the time, it may 
be seen from the mast-head of a moderate-sized vessel, 
at the distance of four or five miles. The spout of 
the sperm whale differs much from that of other large 
cetacea, in which it is mostly double, and projected 
thin, and like a sudden jet, and as in these animals the 
blow-holes are situated nearly on the top of the head, it 
is thrown up to a considerable height, in almost a per- 
pendicular direction. When, however, a sperm whale 
is alarmed or “ gallied,’’ the spout is thrown up much 
higher and with great rapidity, and consequently differs 
much from its usual appearance. The regularity with 
which every action connected with its breathing is per- 
formed by the sperm whale, is very remarkable. The 
length of time he remains at the surface, the number of 
>pouts or expirations made at one time, the intervals 
between the spouts, the time he remains invisible in the 
“ depths of the ocean buried,’’ are all, when the animal 
is undisturbed, as regular in succession and duration as 
it is possible to imagine. 
