Why does a whale need large lungs? The tail of a whale is horizontal instead of vertical, that it may steer upward rapidly from the depths when needing to breathe. The teeth of some whales do not cut the gum, but are reabsorbed and are replaced by horny plates of "whalebone," which act as strainers. Give evidence, from the flippers, lungs, and other organs, that the whale is descended from a land mammal (Fig. 397). Compare the whale with a typical land mammal, as the dog, and enumerate the specializations of the whale for living in water. What change took place in the general form of the body? It is believed that on account of scarcity of food the land ancestors of the whale, hundreds of thousands of years ago, took to living upon fish, etc., and, gradually becoming swimmers and divers, lost the power of locomotion on land. Order . Why?
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Fig. 379.—Dolphin.
Elephants are rapidly becoming extinct because of the value of their ivory tusks. Whales also furnish valuable products, but they will probably exist much longer. Why?
The manatees and dugongs (sea cows) are a closely related order living upon water plants, and hence living close to shore and in the mouths of rivers. Order . Why? .
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Fig. 380.—Manatee, or sea cow; it lives near the shore and eats seaweed. (Florida to Brazil.)
