The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-10-21
The Water!UnlcOrn.


Among the near kindred Of the whale
is the famous unicorn-notthe compan'
ion Of the lion on the British coat.of-
arms, but It's counterpart among the
wonders Of the deep, Inferior OF size TO
the right whale, 1t has the advantage OF
a most formidable weapon, with which
Nature has provided it for as yet un-
known purposes. This is the monstrous
tooth which projects from tho upper jaw
OF the animal 1t is as large rs n mans
thigh ut the base, turned in spiral, and
sharply pointed at the end hollow with.
in. 1t shows externally the finest and
whitest ivory known to the trade. The
Narwhal, or nose.whale, was SO called
because tho Dutch, who seem To have
had the christening Of most quaint things
in the northern regions, at first took this
horn, projecting straight ahead, ten or
even fifteen feet, for q grotesque long
nose. Some say the animal uses this odd
appendage to pierce holes through the
ice when he comes up TO breathe others,
that he mows off seaweed with IL, on
which he grazes. There Is no doubt
that, at times, lie transfxes fish with his
gigantic stiletto, SO TINT he may be able
to deyour them at leisure. mani
The legend has it, that o king Of
Denmark, wishing TO mike somebody a
present OF piece Of the horn OF the
Ilnicorn-for such II was long considered
ordered one OF his high officials to cut
of pieco Of the thicker end of a fine
specimen which he possessed. The
officer did so, and, to his astonishment,
found what he had looked upon Us q
solid horn was hollow, and in tho con.
cavity ho discovered u smaller horn OF
the same shape and tho same sub.
stance. The latter WINS about foot
long, and this resemblance TO the teeth
Of men first led, 1t is thought, to the idea
that the unicorn might after all be moth.
more than q gigantic tooth. In those
days, however, the superstitious people
attached marvellous power TO the wonder
full horn, and brisk trade was carried
on in fino specimens, and even in broken
fragments.
The male alone possesses this iormid-
able weapon the female having, instead,
two small .eeth, OF little use for the pur.
pose OF attack or defense, In the male,
however, one OF these two Is dispropor.
tionately developed, while the other ro
mains Of diminuiLye size, or disappears
gradually altogether, very much us in
the case with the claws OF certain crus.
tacetn. At first sight, 1t would appear
as il this giant OF the deep, with his
terrible sword would be the terror OF tho
seas, killing aud deyouring oil that came
near him. On the contrary, however,
tic nafwhal Is very harmless animal,
and generally his own enemy more than
TINT Of others. His mouth has no teeth,
and immovable lips, and is so small that
ho can swallow little else but molluska
and little fish and Scoresby, who found
In the stomach OF one Of these strange
beings ray OF two feet in length, came
to tho conclusion that the fish must have
been Grst transfxed by the tooth, and
killed before IL was deyoured. Other.
wiso 1t would be difficult to understand
how M active fish should have allowed
itself to be caught by an animal unable
to seize it with the lips or retain II with
the tongue, and in n mouth which had
not even teeth to tear II 10 pieces.
Their swiitness, when they arc alone,
is marvellous and their capture would
be. almost impossible were il mot for the
curious habit they have 81 travelling In
immense troops, and OF taking refuge in
little bays, from which they cannot easily
escape. Small boats approach them, in
such cases, with precaHtion the poor
animals begin to crowd upon each other
they press their ranks SO closely tllat
soon their movements are impeded, and
their enormous weapons become inter.
laced, as each one tries to raise tho head
high in the air. They can neither es.
capo nor defend Themselves, aud thus
fall au easy prey to the lances Of the
whOlemen. : "0dd FlSh," IN Dublin
University JfaqaIina