COMMON WHALE, 
393 
In the warmer latitudes, where they are less fre- 
quently taken, and consequently have time to gain 
their full size, they are still seen of the immense 
size of an hundred feet. 
Though the antients were acquainted with this 
species of whale, yet it does not appear that they 
knew its uses, or practised the fishing of it, 
Aristotle has described it by the name of the 
bearded whale, from those hairs or strainers that 
surround the mouth to prevent the escape of its 
food, when the animal discharges the water from 
its mouth. Pliny has given it the name of mus« 
cuius, probably for the same reason. 
It has already been remarked, that the food of 
this species is the medusa or sea-blubber ; and it 
is probably the necessity of procuring this food 
that confines the animal in its residence to the arc- 
tic circle. Few of them are ever seen so far south 
as the British shores, though the antients mention 
a large kind that obtained its name from frequent- 
ing our coasts. 
The head of the common whale is equal to one 
third of the size of its body : the fistulas, or twq 
orifices for spouting out the water are placed in 
the middle. This species has no teeth : in their 
room are situated the black horny laminae, called 
whale-bone, so tong used in the ladies" stays, in the 
construction of umbrellas, and for various other 
purposes. These laminae give off a part of their 
substance, which constitutes those bristles that sur- 
round the mouth, the supposed use of which has 
already been described. Closely confined by these 
bristles lies the tongue, the tenderest part of the 
auimal, which was formerly salted up as a great 
delicacy. 
About four yards distant from each other appear 
the eyes, externally not larger than those of an ox, 
VOL, II. 3 E 
