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lower jaw, in either of which cases the retail mode of fishing would prove an 
exceedingly profitless speculation. Old Whalers assert that these injuries are 
caused by the combats of the old “ bulls.” Here Mr. Beale is for once at fault, 
stating that he has never been able to witness the alleged fights, although he 
inclines in favour of their probability, from the jealousy of the males, and the 
frequent occurrence of deformities. On the whole, therefore, it is concluded that 
this “marine woonder’s” principal article of diet (the Squid Cuttlefish, Sepia 
octopus ) is obtained by swimming with the huge jaws held open as a kind of 
fish-market—that bourne from whence no finny traveller ever returns. 
But the “ woonder of woonders” is when this gigantic creature becomes frolic¬ 
some, and exhibits its dexterity in “ Horse-play.” We allude to its habit of 
descending to a considerable depth in the sea, and then suddenly leaping entirely 
out of the water, by rapid and repeated strokes of its tail—doubtless to the 
extreme edification of every thing having the breath of life for miles round. 
This manoeuvre is termed “ breaching,” and is supposed to be resorted to in order 
to free the king of the ocean from the numerous and troublesome parasites that 
make free with his majesty’s person. This hypothesis derives support from the 
fact of a portion of the terrific weapon of the Sword-fish having been found 
imbedded in the side of a Whale stranded on the Yorkshire coast, and which 
was probably broken off by the violent struggles between these two warriors of 
the deep. But this is not the end of the tale. For it is said that while the 
Sword-fish attacks the monarch from below, preventing him from gaining his 
own feeding-grot^id beneath, another fish equally relentless, the Thresher, leaps 
out of the water, and falls upon him from above (p, 49). Verily, there is no 
great pleasure in royalty, either on land or by sea! 
The Sperm Whale, however, has much to recommend it to notice, whether it 
be dead, or alive. Amongst its many excellent qualities, we learn (p. 51) that 
it is sociable. Whether or not such was the case in the time of our ever-to-be- 
venerated forefathers, we will not undertake to say, seeing that in future all 
persons presuming to write on Cetology are necessarily amenable to Mr. Surgeon 
Beale for their opinions; but such is the fact as regards our own days, that 
the “march of intellect” has found the “schoolmaster abroad” in the wild, 
unbounded sea. Whales have their schools and schoolmasters as well as men. 
These animals assemble in herds, some consisting entirely of young males, others 
almost exclusively of females; these the sailors term “ schools.’’ The “ ladies’ 
schools”-—must it be declared ?—are governed by from one to three large “ bulls,” 
i. e ., old males ! These “ schoolmasters” are excessively jealous of the intrusion 
of others of their profession. The result of this pleasing system of cetaceous 
education is, that Whales can communicate with each other by signals at great 
distances, forming a well-o»ganised plan of telegraphic communication. We 
