Structure and 0 economy of Whales. 389 
and interdices of parts, is in general difpofed in the fame way as 
in quadrupeds; but the external, which includes the principal 
part, is inclofed in a reticular membrane, apparently compofed of 
fibres palling in all directions, which leem to confine its extent, 
• % 
allowing it little or no motion on itfelf, the whole, when dif- 
tended, forming almod a folid body. This, however, is not 
always the cafe in every part of animals of this order; for 
under the head, or what may be rather called neck, of the Bottle- 
nofe, the fat is confined in larger cells, admitting of motion. 
This reticular membrane is very fine in fome, and very ltrong 
and coarfe in others, and even varies in different parts of the 
fame animal. It is fine in the Porpoife, Spermaceti, and 
large Whalebone Whale; coarfe in the Grampus and fmali 
Whalebone Whale * : in all of them it is fined: on the body, 
becoming coarfer towards the tail, which is compofed of fibres 
without any fat : which is alfo the cafe in the covering of the 
fins. This reticular net-work in the Seal is very coarfe ; and 
in thofe which are not fat, when it collapfes, it looks almoft 
like a fine net with fmali mefhes. This druCture confines the 
animal to a determined fhape, whereas in quadrupeds fat w r hen 
in great quantity deftroys all fhape. 
The fat differs in confidence in different animals, and in dif- 
ferent parts of the fame animal, in which itsdtuation is various. 
In quadrupeds, fome have the external fat fofter than the internal; 
and that inclofed in bones is fofteft nearer to their extremities. 
Ruminating animals have that fpeciesof fat called tallow, and in 
their bones they have either hard fat or marrow, or fluid fat called 
Neat’s-foot oil. In this order of animals, the internal fat is the 
lead: fluid, and is nearly of the confidence of Hog’s-lard ; the 
* Where it is fine, it yields the largeft quantity of oil. and requires the leaft 
boiling. , 
t external 
