396 
PIKE-HEADED WHALE. 
its flesh affords them a food, which to men so poor- 
ly supplied, is very agreeable. 
This fish is generally of the same length with 
the common whale, but of a much more slender 
conformation. The lips are brown like a twisted 
rope : the spout-hole is as it were split in the top 
of its head, through which it blows water with 
much more violence, and to a greater height, than 
the common kind. The fishers are not fond of 
seeing it ; for on its appearance the others retire 
from those seas. It is impossible to determine 
whether this species be the same with the physalos 
and physeter of the ancient writers, so vague are 
the terms in which they speak of that fish.. If 
that particular name was assigned it from its facul- 
ty of spouting water, or blowing, the habit is not 
peculiar to any one species, but common to all the 
whale kind. It would appear from the name 
given it by Linnaeus, that he believed this to be the 
animal spoken of by these w riters. 
Pike-headed whale. 
This species measures fifty feet, or more in 
length, and is found both in the northern and 
southern ocean. It is of a moderately slender form, 
somewhat thick on the fore parts ; and its colour 
is black above, and white beneath ; the upper 
part of the belly is marked by numerous longitudi- 
nal plaits, or wrinkles, the insides of which are of 
a red colour. The head is moderately large, and 
of a gradually tapering form, yet ending in a 
somewhat broad, or obtuse tip. It has a double 
spiracle, or blow-pipe on the head, the holes of 
which are approximated, and which it can close 
in such a manner, by a common operculum, as to 
appear single : before the nostrils on the head are 
three rows of circular covexities ; the lower jaw 
