Structure and Oeconomy of Whales. ■: p l 
and the noftril, is more intermixed with a ligamentous cellular 
membrane, and lies in chambers whofe partitions are perpen- 
dicular. Thefe chambers are fmaller the nearer to the nofe, 
becoming larger and larger towards the back part of the head, 
where the fpermaceti is more pure. 
This fpermaceti, when extracted cold, has a good deal the 
appearance of the internal ftrufture of a water melon, and is 
found in rather folid lumps. 
About the nofe, or anterior part of the noftrll, T difcovered 
a great many veflfels, having the appearance of a plexus cf 
veins, fome as large as a finger. On examining them, I found 
they were loaded with the fpermaceti and oil; and that fome 
had correfponding arteries. They were mod: probably lym- 
phatics ; therefore I Ihould fuppofe, that their contents had been 
abforbed from the cells of the head. We mav the more 
J 
readily fuppofe this, from finding many of the cells, or cham- 
bers, almoft empty; and as we may reafonably believe that 
this animal had been fome time out of the feas in which it 
could procure proper food, it had perhaps lived on the fuper- 
abundance of oil. 
The folid maflfes are what are brought home in calks for 
fpermaceti. 
I found, by boiling this fub fiance, that I could eafily extraft 
the fpermaceti and oil which floated on the top from the cellu- 
lar membrane. When • I fkimmed off the oily part, and let it 
fland to cool, I found that the fpermaceti cryffallifed, and the 
whole became folid; and by laying this cake upon any fpongy 
fubffance, as chalk, or on a hollow body, the oil drained all off, 
leaving the fpermaceti pure and white. Thefe cryflals were 
only attached to each other by edges, forming a fpongy mafs ; 
and by melting this pure fpermaceti, and allowing it to cry- 
Vol. LXXVII. K k k ffallife, 
