পাতা:পদার্থবিদ্যাসার.djvu/১০৫

94 .. Pup.. What doos the sixth order include, and how is it characterized 2 - Tut. Four genera, viz. the horse, the hippopotamus, (or river-horse.) the tapir, and the hog. These have more than two fore-feeth in each jaw, and no horns. Pup. How is the seventli order distinguished ? Tut. The character of this order is, that it has no legs. It contains the whale, the dolphin, &c. Pup. Are not these all fish ?' Tut. They all live in the sea, and bear some resemblance to fish in external appearance, but fire more like quadrupeds in their internal structure. They breathe air through lungs, and suckie their young at their breasts. Pup. I should be happy to hear an account of the whale. Tut. The whale is very large in size, about 80 feet long, and 20 high; and so sirong that a blow of its tail is sufficient to upset a boat. It inhabits places near the north and south poles. It employs the tail alone to advance in the water, and leaves behind it a great trail or wake in the water, by which it is frequently discovered. Its mouth is very large, but its throat very narrow. It has nở teetb in its upper. jaw, but instead of them long blades of bone called whalebone, which, like the tusks of elephants, are very, valuable. When the whale feeds, it swims with considerable velocity with its jaws extended ; and thus many small fish enter its month, and are devoured. It breathes through its lungs, and on this account cannot remain under the water always, but ascends once in about ten minutes to take breath ; and at this time it