OF CETACEOUS FISfiES. 
43 
f eet in length, and about twenty in breadth : Even thefe, 
however, muft appear enormous to the fpe&ator, and, 
when firfl beheld rifing from the deep, muft have (truck 
hirn with allonilhment and terror. Thofe who frequent 
the northern ocean, to whom the frequency of the light 
has rendered it lefs tremenduous, muft enjoy a magnifi- 
Ce nt fpeftacle in beholding fuch an enormous animated 
tumbling amibft the waves, and darting through 
the water with incredible velocity ! Such wonders does 
Mature prefent in an element where her operations are 
hut partially known ; perhaps (lie has kill greater won- 
^ ers cor >cealed in the deep, which we have had no op* 
Portunities of exploring. The whales are obliged to fhew 
themfelves upon the furface, in order to take breath : but 
who knows the lize of thofe animals that are fitted to re- 
gain for ever under water ; and that have been increaf- 
ing in magnitude for centuries *. 
1 hough we now fee no whales two hundred, and two 
hundred and fifty feet, which we have good reafon to be- 
lieve was the cafe two centuries ago, hill the fize of this 
order of beings is fufficient to diftinguifh them from all 
the reft of the animal kingdom. It is probable, indeed, 
trom fkeletons that have been found at different times’ 
that there once exifted terreftrial animals of much great- 
er bulk than are to be found at prefent. Creatures of 
c i an immenfe fize muft have required a proportion- 
ri * ' eX ^ ent of ground for fubfiftence ; and by being 
jj human race for large territory, they muft 
een deftroyed in the conteft. A fimilar caufe has 
E 2 diminifhed 
fence, andT^ 1 * 114 ’ * traten ' * s fai(5 t0 be fcvcral “dies in circumfe- 
Would be cred 'I'' 631 ' Ilke * <ma11 illun<J- To beIieve ail fuch relations 
t*oldfmith’ £ TviVu-n^' 11 ' t0 dcny their rofirbility, would be preemption, 
* vol. VI, 
