THE WIIAI.E. 
141 
unknown. The food of the whale is a small insect which 
is seen floating in those seas, and which Linnaeus terms the 
Medusa. These insects are black, and of the size of a small 
Dean, and are sometimes seen floating in clusters on tliesur- 
face of the water. They are of a round form, like snails in 
a box, but they have wings, which are so tender that it is 
scarce possible to touch them without breaking. These, 
however, serve rather for swimming than flying. They have 
the taste of raw muscles, and have the smell of burnt sugar. 
Inoffensive as the whale is, k is not without enemies. There 
is a small animal, of the shell-fish kind, called the Whale- 
louse, that sticks to its body, as we see shells sticking to the 
ibtil bottom of a ship. This insinuates itself chiefly under 
the fins; and whatever efforts the great animal makes, it 
still keeps its hold, and lives upon the fat, which it is pro- 
vided with instruments to arrive at. 
Tiie. sword-fish, however, is the whale’s most terrible enemy. 
“ At the sight of this little animal,” says Anderson, “ the 
whale seems agitated in an extraordinary manner, leaping 
from the water as if with affright; wherever it appears, the 
whale perceives it at a distance, and flies from it in the op- 
posite direction. I have been myself,” continues he, “ a 
spectator of their terrible encounter. The whale has no 
instrument of defence except the tail : with that it endea- 
vours to strike the enemy ; and a single blow taking place, 
would effectually destroy its adversary : but the sword-fish 
ls as active as the other is strong, and easily avoids the 
stroke; then bounding into the air, it falls upon its enemy, 
and endeavours not to pierce with its pointed beak, but to 
cut with its toothed edges. The sea all about is soon dyed 
with blood, proceeding from the wounds of the whale; 
while the enormous animal vainly endeavours to reach its 
'nvader, and strikes with its tail against the surface of the 
Water, making a report at each blow louder than the noise 
°f a cannon.” 
There is still another and more powerful enemy called, by 
the fishermen of New England, the killer. This is itself 
supposed to be a cetaceous animal, armed with strong and 
powerful teeth. A number of these are said to surround the 
" hale, in the same manner as dogs get round a bull. Some 
■utack it with their teeth behind ; others attempt it before: 
putd, at last, the great animal is torn down, and its tongue 
't a'- 1 *° ^ le onl y P art devour when they have made 
j their prey. They are said to be of such great strength, 
, lat one of them alone was known to stop a dead whale 
at several boats were towing along, and drag it from 
amono- them to the bottom. 
