S 4i 
THE COMMON WHALE. 
Though the ancients were acquainted with this fpecies 
of whale, yet it does not appear that they knew its ufes, 
or practifed the filhing of it. Ariilotle has dcferibed it 
by the name of the bearded whale, from thole hairs or 
{trainers that furround the mouth to prevent the efcape 
of its food, when the animal difcharges the water from 
its mouth*. Piiny has given it the name of Mufculw , 
probably for the fame reafon. 
It has already been remarked, that the food of this 
fpecies is the medufa or fea-blubber ; and it is probably 
the nccefiity of procuring this food that confines the ani- 
mal in its refidence to the artic circle. Few of them are 
ever feen fo far fouth as the BritiJJj fhores, though the 
ancients mention a large kind that obtained its name, 
from frequenting our coafts f. 
The head of the common whale is equal to one third 
of the fize of its body : The fiftulae, or two orifices for 
fpouting out the water are placed in the middle J. This 
fpecies has no teeth : in their room are fituated the black 
horny lamintfc called whale bone, fo long ufed in the la- 
dies Hays, in the conftruflion of umbrellas, and for va- 
rious other purpofes. Thefe laminae give off a part of 
their fubftance which conftitutes thofe briltles that fur- 
round the mouth, the fuppofed ufe of which has already 
been defcribed. Cloiely confined by thefe briltles lies 
the tongue, the tendered part of the animal, which was 
formerly falted up as a great delicacy § : It is now ex- 
tracted only for the fake of the oil ; of which it contains 
no lefs than fix barrels. 
A bout 
* Nvmr/irss Hill. anim. Lib. ill. cap. 12. 
f Quanto Dtlphinh BaUita Britannlea major. Pliny, Sat. X. 
£ Britiib ^oology- 
$ Roudelct. aputi Willowgh. p. 37. } 
a 
