Identifier: animalsinactions00broo (find matches)
Title: Animals in action; studies and stories of beasts, birds and reptiles; their habits, their homes and their peculiarities
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Brooks, Elbridge S. (Elbridge Streeter), 1846-1902
Subjects:
Publisher: Boston, Lothrop pub. co
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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takes the offensive, overturns or smashes a whaleboatwith a mighty blow fof the tail, and sometimes even breaks ahole in the side of a whaling ship, sinking the vessel with all onboard. Such a performance is not to be wondered at when itis remembered that a full-grown sperm whale often measuresninety feet in length and nearly thirty-five feet about thethickest part of the body. The muscular strength of the giantis marvellous, even when considered with reference to the sizeof his body. The sperm whale differs from the other greatcetaceans chiefly in the form of the head and the shape of thelower jaw, which is noticeably smaller than that of the otherwhales. To approach a sperm bull whale is so risky a ven-ture that no really accurate representation of the living animalis obtainable. A much better opportunity for study of the species isafforded when, as frequently happens, one of these giants hasbeen cast up by storms upon some beach, where he soon dies * v~ X- -V- ™. ■V-- Ir^- ^^^
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Stranded Sperm Whale and Polar Foxes. SPERM WHALE AND POLAR FOX. 279 and is devoured eagerly by beast and fowl. Our picture showsthe carcass of a stranded sperm whale which has already beensurrounded by greedy gulls and voracious ice foxes. The last-mentioned animals are degenerate relatives of Master Reynard,and live in the polar regions of the Old and New Worlds. Theice fox is much smaller than our well-known barnyard robber,and in summer wears an earth- or stone-colored coat, while inwinter he resembles very closely the color of the snow amidstwhich he lives. The ice fox eats any animal that he can seize,and does not disdain even carrion. Since the sea throws upmany varieties of dead creatures, these voracious little beastsare seldom in want of food. Nevertheless, they often fight overtheir prey, when the victors shriek like angry cats. The ice foxintrudes into human dwellings with amazing boldness, andArctic explorers are often put to their wits to protect them-selves against thei

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