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CHAPTER VIII. 
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE SPERM WHALE. 
It will be seen, in the following compilation of the 
anatomy and physiology of the sperm whale, which I 
have gleaned from the various naturalists who have 
from time to time written upon these interesting sub- 
jects, that I have largely availed myself of the inimit- 
able paper, originally presented to the Royal Society 
by the great John Hunter, which treats of the structure 
and economy of whales. 
I have thought proper to reprint nearly the whole 
of this paper, because of the exceedingly interesting 
nature of its contents,— not because it does not treat 
solely of the anatomy of the sperm whale, but because 
it contains passages so highly original and profound, 
not only of whales in general, and of the sperm whale 
in particular, that to have left this article without it, 
a mere barren chapter would have presented itself, 
wholly without interest. 
For although the structural and functional develope- 
ments of several kinds of whales are considered in that 
learned paper, the peculiarities of which are exposed 
with amazing judgment by our great naturalist, still 
