SPERM WHALE’S FOOD* 
61 
and quickly withdrawing its tentacula within its shell, 
renders itself specifically heavier than the water, and 
sinks immediately into more tranquil regions beneath 
the surface.” 
Sir William Jardine on whales, in the 6 Naturalist’s 
Library,’ vol. vi. p. 162, regarding the food of the 
spermaceti whale, “ ventures to suggest to those who 
may have frequent opportunities of observing, whether 
this whale may not also frequently resort to the medusse 
and minute fish, which in so remarkable a manner sup- 
ply food to some of the smaller as well as the other 
genera of the gigantic whales. That there is an abun- 
dant supply of this sustenance, both in the antarctic 
ocean, and the more smiling latitudes of the southern 
seas, can easily be proved by a reference to 6 Lesson’s 
Statements,’ and also to those of Captain Colnett, who, 
when near the southern point of America observes, 4 during 
this forenoon we passed several fields of spawn, which 
caused the water to bear the appearance of barley cover- 
ing the surface of a bank.’ ” Orbigny also remarks, that 
there are immense tracts off the coast of Brazil, filled 
with small creatures so numerous as to impart a red 
colour to the sea ; large portions are thus highly coloured, 
and receive from the whalers the name of Banc du 
Bresil. He also states that another similar bank occurs 
near Cape Horn, in 57° south latitude. “ Statements 
of this sort,” observes Sir William, 4< could easily be 
multiplied, and hence we cannot but suppose that this 
kind of food, which is ascertained to afford such rich 
nourishment to the other great cetacea, may, very pos - 
