. The naturalist's library; containing scientific and popular descriptions of man, quadrupeds, birds, fishes, reptiles and insects; . en constantly andinoffensively sporting among the other great monsters of the deep, no wayattempting to injure them, but pleased in their company. The Greenland-ers call narwhal the forerunner of the whale ; for wherever it is seen,the whale is shortly after sure to follow. This may arise as well from thenatural passion for society in these animals, as from both living upon thesame food. The narwhal is much swifter than the whale, and would neverbe taken by
. The naturalist's library; containing scientific and popular descriptions of man, quadrupeds, birds, fishes, reptiles and insects; . en constantly andinoffensively sporting among the other great monsters of the deep, no wayattempting to injure them, but pleased in their company. The Greenland-ers call narwhal the forerunner of the whale ; for wherever it is seen,the whale is shortly after sure to follow. This may arise as well from thenatural passion for society in these animals, as from both living upon thesame food. The narwhal is much swifter than the whale, and would neverbe taken by the fishermen, but for those very tusks, which at first appearto bo its principal defence. These animals are always seen in herds ofseveral at a time; and whenever they are attacked, they crowd togetherin such a manner, that they are mutually embarrassed by their tusks. Bythese, they are often locked together, and are prevented from sinking to thebottom. It seldom happens therefore, but the fishermen make sure of oneor two of lit«j hindmost, which very well reward their trouble. THE GREAT HEADED CACHALOT, ORSPERMACETI WHALE.*. Ihis tribe io not of such enormous size as the whale, properly so called, notbeing above sixty feet long and sixteen feet high. In consequence of theirbeing more blender, they are much more active than the common whale; > Physeter macrocephalus, Desm. The genus Physeter has eighteen to twenty-threeinferior teeth on each side of the jaw; upper jaw broad, elevated, without teeth, or withthese short and concealed in the gum; lower jaw elongated, narrow, corresponding to afurrow of the upper, and armed with thick and conical teeth, entering into correspondingcavities of the upper jaw; spiracular orifices united at the upper part of the snout; a dorsalfin in some species, a simple eminence on others; cartilaginous cavties in the superiorrejrion of the head, filled with oily matter. 398 MAMMALIA—WHALE. they remain a longer time at the bottom, and afford
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookidnaturalistsl, bookyear1851
