Plin. l. 32. c. 1. Solin. c. 52.WHALE, the greatest of Fishes that we know. Pliny says, that Whales have been seen of six hundred foot long, and three hundred and sixty foot thick. And Solinus writes, that there have been seen some of eight hundred foot long. Others have said,1 that the Whale could swallow up a Ship with all its Rigging. Festus Avienus,
Protenus hæc2 ipsas absorbent sauce carinas, Involvuntque simul mox monstra natantia nantes.
But these are Fables, and extravagant Exaggerations. Father Tertre says, that in more than twelve thousand Leagues that he hath sailed, he never saw any that seemed to be above fifty or sixty foot long. We are assured however, that in America there are some so large, that they measure ninety or an hundred foot from Head to Tail. And it is owned, that the Whales in the North Seas are yet larger than those that are found upon the Coast of Guinea, or in the Mediterranean.
In Scripture there is often mention made of the Cetus or Whale. But the Hebrew Word Thannim,3 which is translated by Whale, is said in general of all large Fishes, whether of Rivers or the Sea. The Job xl. 20.Leviathan, spoke of by Job, and which several Interpreters understand of the Whale, rather signifies the Crocodile.c Lastly, the Fish that swallowed Jonah,4 was probably the Carcharias, or Sea Dog, as we have shewn in our Dissertation upon the Fish that swallowed Jonah, before the Twelve Lesser Prophets. See also FISH.
The Whale brings forth her young ones alive, as other perfect Animals. But it brings but one, or two at most, and nourishes it by the Breast, with great Care.
Whales have generally no Teeth, but only Beards, or Whiskers on the Throat; of about a Span in Breadth, and fifteen Foot long, which end in Fringes, like Hog’s Bristles at the End, which at top are set in the Palate, and ranged in order, according to their different Magnitudes. These Beards serve to extend or contract the Cheeks of the Creature, which are sometimes so large, that they are able to contain the little Whales newly born, when it blows a Storm, as Olaus pretends.
They are maintained by a Water or Froth which they suck from the Sea; and by some little Fishes, as the Sea-Flea, the Sea-Spider, Anchovies, Sea-Weed. Yet there are some of them that have Teeth, and in the Bellies of which have been found thirty or forty Cod-fish.
There are Whales of several Sorts. Those of Japan have two great Holes over their Muzzles, through which a great Quantity of Water goes in, which afterwards they squirt out again, with great Impetuosity, to the Length of two Pikes; and with this Motion they make a kind of Bellowing, which may be heard above a quarter of a League. Their Eyes are three Ells long, and a Foot and half wide. Their Fins are much greater within than without, and when they open their Throat, it is above five Fathoms wide. Their Tongue is eighteen foot long, and about six wide. They feed upon Fish.5
The Whales that are found in the American Sea, have great Beards hanging down, from below the Snout down to the Navel, and towards the Extremity of their hinder Phil. Transact.Parts, a Crest or Tuft upon the back. Their Backs make a very sharp Figure, like the Roof of a House covered with Slate, or flat Tiles. Their Back is exceeding Black, and their Belly White: They are longer than the Whales of Greenland, but not so thick.
There is a kind of Whale which have little flat Teeth in the Throat, without Beards. ‘Tis from these that the Biscaians take the Drug which is called Sperma Ceti, and which is used for making an excellent Paint.
There is another kind, which has the Opening of its Ear over the Shoulders. It makes use of its Tail for swimming, by beating the Water, and to overset the Boats of Fishermen that pursue it.
The Whales of the North retire to the Coasts of Spain, towards the Autumnal Equinox, and make their Abode near the Walls of the ancient Castle of Ferragus, at a League from Bayon. Then about March they return to the frozen Sea of the North. Those of America also retire to certain Places more convenient, according to the Seasons. ‘Tis conjectured that they withdraw to the herbous Caves of the Gulph of Florida. The Whale always keeps its young one under its Fins, and never leaves it till it is weaned. It has no Udder, but it has Nipples and Teats, which contain Milk in such abundance, that sometimes there have been drawn from it to the quantity of two Hogsheads.6
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