cxxiv Cetacea. MAMMALIA. -Cetacea. 
writers concurred in attributing a good degree of 
eminent writer and clergyman of Exeter, Eng., 
tliis sense ; and Anderson, in liis account of Ice- 
says: “Of three hundred and twenty-two individuals. 
1 
1 
land and Greenland, narrates that the inhabitants of 
in the capture of which I had personally been concerned. 
the Faroe Islands, when they perceived their boats 
no one, I believe, ever exceeded sixty feet in length. 
chased by the Sperm Whale, which is regarded as a 
and the largest I ever measured was fifty-eight, this 
particularly dangerous species, used to throw Castor 
being the largest I ever saw.” An uncommonly 
overboard, which made the creature sink to the 
large specimen is recorded by the same author, which 
deep, in order to avoid the disagreeable odor. Gin- 
had the baleen, or whalebone plates, “ nearly fifteen 
ger lias a similar reputation; the blood of animals. 
feet long.” 'I’his animal was not over seventy feet 
and Chalk and Sulphur, are supposed to possess even 
long. Captain S. says, again : “'I’he largest com- 
1 
greater powers. Cuvier, as well as some other 
mon Greenland Whale I ever heard of was men- 
1 
authors, throws doubt upon this matter by stating 
tioned by Sir Charles Guisecke, who informs us that. 
i 
that, “in the Cetacea there is an absence of olfac- 
in the spring of 1813, one was killed at Godhown, 
tory nerves and the usual organs of smell.” From a 
measuring sixty-seven feet. But these are rare in- 
1 
good deal of investigation in this direction, there 
stances. I therefore consider that sixty feet may be 
seems to be certain well-defined facts., 'I'he prevail- 
considered as the average dimensions, and that 
ing opinion now is that the sense of smell is pos- 
sixty-five feet is a magnitude which rarely occurs.” 
sessed by the true Whales and the Rorqual, and is 
wanting in the rest. This may be subject to certain 
Family— BALA^NID^. 
qualifications when other observations are made. 'I’he 
organ of vision is very small, compared to the size 
'I’he true Whales are classed under this family 
of the creature. The largest Whale has an eye not 
designation. 'I’he great characteristic of this group 
larger than that of an Ox. 'I'he range of vision is 
is the presence of a series of whalebone plates. 
extensive, the organ being placed on the parts most 
usually called baleen ; hence the term of the family. 
prominent where the diameter is greatest. Its axis 
which is from the Greek, meaning simply a Whale. 
is directed downwards obliquely, and thus aids it in 
Curiously enough, the young of these AVhales have 
scanning the region below it. 'I'he hearing organ is 
teeth, which are soon shed, and give place to the 
peculiar in some respects : the eustachian tube 
sheets of whalebone. 'I’he true Whales are recog- 
reaches high up in the blowing-hole, and, as there is 
nized, also, from their extremely large heads which. 
no external ear, it is thought that the sounds are 
in some si)ecies, amount to one-third of the whole 
conveyed to the auditory apparatus through this 
length. 'I’he nostrils are distinct, and situated long- 
passage. Other senses, as taste and touch, seem to 
itudinally along the top of the cranium. 'I’he 
be of little consequence, as they are, seemingly, not 
mammary glands are in the inquinal region, not in 
developed. 'I’he mental faculties of the Whale vary 
the chest. 'I’he hands have five fingers, and are very 
in different genera very greatly ; they all, however. 
broad. 
agree in a certain reciprocal regard that they Seem 
THE GREENLAND WHALE, OR MYSTICETE {Ba- 
to manifest towards each other. 'I'his is common 
Itena mysticetus) , called also the Com.mon Whale- 
not only between the mother and young. Imt with 
BONE AChale —P late 28, fig. 8!) — is the most famil- 
members of the same group or shoal. All Cetaceans 
iar Cetacean of our waters. 'I’he term Right AVhale 
produce their young in nearly the same manner that 
is used by sailors, to designate it from others that are 
land mammals do. 'I’he male is called the Bull ; the 
of less account in commerce; and Bow-head, or 
female, the Cow. 'I’he i)eriod of gestation is sup- 
Great Polar AVhale, are terms also used by whalers. 
])osed to be about nine months. 'I’he natural life of 
Marvelous stories are told about its length ; but 
Cetaceans is thought to extend to from thirty to an 
Scoresby has fully established the fact that it never 
hundred years. The Calf follows the mother several 
exceeds sixty-five or seventy feet. 
months. 
'I’he characteristic feature of this AVhale is the 
'I’he amount of oil yielded by the larger kind of 
baleen, or whalebone — a series of plates, upwards of 
Whales reaches nearly twenty tuns. 'I’he peculiar 
three hundred in number, on each side of the jaw. 
products of these animals will be noticed under the 
which resemble a frame of saws in a saw-mill. These 
lespective heads. Ambergris is a substance common 
plates reach the length of six feet, and weigh 
to all. It is found in the intestines, and is a con- 
together, in some instances, a t\m. 'I’he flesh of tlie 
cretionary formation, mottled and grayish in color, 
Right Whale is of a red color, and, when cleared of 
and when exposed on its inner surl'ace, is seen to 
fat and broiled, is said to be much like coarse beef. 
enclose the horny, beak-like processes of Cuttle- 
'I’he bones are very porous, and contain much fine oil. 
fishes, derived from the great numbers of such mol- 
'I’he jaw-bones, which often measure twenty-five feet 
luscs that they eat. It has a peculiar odor, and is 
in length, produce a valuable portion of oil. 'I'he 
used in giving to wines an agreeable flavor. In con- 
hearing in this AVhale is thought to be acute while 
sistence it is soft and waxy, its chemical constituents 
in the waiter, but is evidently wanting to a great ex- 
being largely the fatty substance or principle called 
tent while in the air. Scoresby says, speaking of the 
ambreine. 
velocity of this creature : “ It is the same along the 
The size of Whales is a subject which has at 
surface and in other directions. I have observed a 
times been considerably misapprehended. Captain 
AVhale descending, after 1 had harpooned it. to the 
Scoresby, the notable whalei-, and afterwards the 
depth of about one-fourth of a mile, with the aver- 
1 
