{"id":"01KG8AK7FTHSEYVWFPSA6WSD6R","cid":"bafkreicoeprsekrdvndqyihus6fxtzmkod3ns73fagdovhbjbm74w47e6i","type":"chapter","properties":{"description":"# BOOK II. (Octavo), CHAPTER II. (Black Fish).\n\n## Overview - What this is (type, form, dates, scope)\nThis is a chapter from the novel \"[Moby-Dick; or, The Whale](arke:01KG8AJ9GN1K052QJEZVGKXJ0T)\" (2026), extracted from the text file [moby_dick.txt](arke:01KG89J198KE6FY8WPVJQQRCZ6). The chapter, titled \"BOOK II. (Octavo), CHAPTER II. (Black Fish).\", spans lines 5889 to 5906 of the source file. It was extracted on January 30, 2026, by the \"structure-extraction-lambda\" process.\n\n## Context - Background and provenance from related entities\nThe chapter is part of the novel \"[Moby-Dick; or, The Whale](arke:01KG8AJ9GN1K052QJEZVGKXJ0T)\", which is included in the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. The novel was extracted from the \"moby_dick.txt\" file, located within the \"novels\" folder. The chapter is preceded by \"[BOOK II. (Octavo), CHAPTER I. (Grampus).](arke:01KG8AK7FTWVDWHPJ3WKS2JPHM)\" and followed by \"[BOOK II. (Octavo), CHAPTER III. (Narwhale), that is, Nostril whale.](arke:01KG8AK7G2R4EXKAMTFVR0JKAT)\".\n\n## Contents - What it contains, key subjects and details\nThe chapter discusses the \"Black Fish,\" also known as the \"Hyena Whale,\" and its characteristics. It notes the whale's voracity and its distinctive \"Mephistophelean grin.\" The chapter describes the whale's size (16-18 feet), habitat, and the use of its oil.\n","description_generated_at":"2026-01-30T20:50:57.375Z","description_model":"gemini-2.5-flash-lite","description_title":"BOOK II. (Octavo), CHAPTER II. (Black Fish).","end_line":5906,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:54.527Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"BOOK II. (Octavo), CHAPTER II. (Black Fish).","source_file":"01KG89J198KE6FY8WPVJQQRCZ6","start_line":5889,"text":"BOOK II. (_Octavo_), CHAPTER II. (_Black Fish_).—I give the popular\r\nfishermen’s names for all these fish, for generally they are the best.\r\nWhere any name happens to be vague or inexpressive, I shall say so, and\r\nsuggest another. I do so now, touching the Black Fish, so-called,\r\nbecause blackness is the rule among almost all whales. So, call him the\r\nHyena Whale, if you please. His voracity is well known, and from the\r\ncircumstance that the inner angles of his lips are curved upwards, he\r\ncarries an everlasting Mephistophelean grin on his face. This whale\r\naverages some sixteen or eighteen feet in length. He is found in almost\r\nall latitudes. He has a peculiar way of showing his dorsal hooked fin\r\nin swimming, which looks something like a Roman nose. When not more\r\nprofitably employed, the sperm whale hunters sometimes capture the\r\nHyena whale, to keep up the supply of cheap oil for domestic\r\nemployment—as some frugal housekeepers, in the absence of company, and\r\nquite alone by themselves, burn unsavory tallow instead of odorous wax.\r\nThough their blubber is very thin, some of these whales will yield you\r\nupwards of thirty gallons of oil.\r\n\r","title":"BOOK II. (Octavo), CHAPTER II. (Black Fish)."},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJ9GN1K052QJEZVGKXJ0T","peer_type":"novel","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J198KE6FY8WPVJQQRCZ6","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AK7FTWVDWHPJ3WKS2JPHM","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AK7G2R4EXKAMTFVR0JKAT","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"next"}],"ver":3,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:57.434Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:50:57.642Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF5C36SQEVDHC9CBNZZJH9K"}}