. Brehm's Life of animals : a complete natural history for popular home instruction and for the use of schools. Mammals; Animal behavior. 570 THE WHALES. most remarkable Dolphins: the White Whale or Beluga, which represents the genus Beluga. The lack of a dorsal fin may be considered as the most important distinctive physical feature of the animals of this genus. The strongly-arched forehead ter- minates abruptly in the broad, truncated muzzle, the jaws of which are armed with a few conical teeth, which usually fall out in old age. The short, blunt llippers, which are placed in the first quart
. Brehm's Life of animals : a complete natural history for popular home instruction and for the use of schools. Mammals; Animal behavior. 570 THE WHALES. most remarkable Dolphins: the White Whale or Beluga, which represents the genus Beluga. The lack of a dorsal fin may be considered as the most important distinctive physical feature of the animals of this genus. The strongly-arched forehead ter- minates abruptly in the broad, truncated muzzle, the jaws of which are armed with a few conical teeth, which usually fall out in old age. The short, blunt llippers, which are placed in the first quarter of the total length, are of an ovoid shape. Characteristics of The Beluga or White Whale (Be- the White luga leucas) averages a length of Whale. from thirteen to twenty feet. The color is a yellowish white in old animals, brownish or bluish gray in young individuals, and later is mottled until it gradually fades into the hue of maturity. The Beluga ranges throughout all waters around the north pole, but does not usually roam far south. In rare cases it may stray into southern seas, having ships and gambols joyfully up and down in'their im- mediate proximity; yet it always remains timid, and flees at the slightest noise. The principal reason, however, why whalers do not hunt the animal, which yields more or less profit, is, that the Beluga often baffles pursuit in the open sea by its great speed and agility; and its hunt requires too much time to be profitable for civilized whalers. It is different with the natives of the high north: for them the Beluga is the most important of Whales, on account of its oil and flesh. The majority are caught in nets, which are set at the mouths of ocean creeks or the inlets of bays, or in straits between islands. The flippers and tail are esteemed as special delicacies, if they are well prepared. The skin is dried and tanned and serves a variety of purposes. In Kam- chatka, for instance, thongs are made out of it, which are highly esteemed on
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectmammals, bookyear1895
