OF THE SPERM WHALE 
95 
the full size. From this forwards they are again becom- 
ing shallower— the teeth being small, the sockets wasting, 
and at the symphysis there are hardly any sockets at all. 
This will make the exact number of teeth in any species 
uncertain” 
Dr. Alderson, in a paper read before the Cambridge 
Philosophical Society, May 16, 1825, states that the 
number of teeth which he found in the sperm whale that 
was cast on the coast of Yorkshire, and which measured 
58| feet, amounted to 47 (visible); “ two more,” he 
states, “ were found on cutting down upon the gums on 
the right side. In the skeleton, therefore, there will be 
49 teeth. I should hence infer the animal to be young, 
though, as they that were uncut were the most posterior 
of the teeth, it is possible it had reached its full growth. 
There is a remarkable difference in the posterior teeth 
compared with the others ; they were much smaller and 
rather hooked, particularly the last but one and last but 
two on the left side, and the last but two and last but 
three on the right side. The two teeth at the symphysis 
were much smaller than those near them — -they were front 
teeth, and were only three inches asunder. The distance 
between the second pair of teeth nearest the symphysis 
(measured within the teeth at the gums) is inches, the 
distance between the teeth at the bifurcation 13 inches. 
The upper jaw presented no teeth, but cavities, lined 
with the mucous membrane of the mouth, and very firm ; 
into these cavities the teeth of the lower jaw fitted when 
the mouth was closed.” 
Mr. F. D. Bennett, in a paper read before the Zoolo- 
