BREATHING, 
45 
expirations during the period they are at the surface, 
which is about four minutes, and they thus consume 
about a fifth of their time in respiration, a proportion 
considerably greater than that of the adult males. 
The same circumstances of accelerated respiration are 
observable also in ct young bulls,” and the acceleration 
seems to bear a certain definite proportion to their 
respective ages and size. 
When disturbed or alarmed, this regularity in breath- 
ing appears to be no longer observed ; for instance, 
when a “ bull,” which when undisturbed remains at the 
surface until he has made sixty expirations, is alarmed 
by the approach of a boat, he immediately plunges 
beneath the waves, although it may probably have per- 
formed half its usual number, but will soon rise again 
not far distant, and finish his full number of respirations ; 
and in this case, generally also, he sinks without having 
assumed the perpendicular position before described, on 
the contrary, he sinks suddenly in the horizontal posi- 
tion, and with remarkable rapidity, leaving a sort of 
vortex, or whirlpool, in the place where his huge body 
lately floated, — this curious movement is effected, as 
has been before stated, by some powerful upward strokes 
of the swimming paws and flukes. 
When urging his rapid course through the ocean, in 
that mode of swimming which is called “ going head 
out,” the spout is thrown up every time the head is 
raised above the surface, and under these circumstances 
of violent muscular exertion, as would be expected, 
the respiration is altogether much more hurried than 
usual. 
