"__-Dick; or, The Whale" (4)

I believe the answer is:

moby

(Other definitions for moby that I've seen before include "Herman Melville's great novel '. . . . Dick'" , "A phone" , "Herman Melville's great white whale, . . . . Dick" , "Herman Melville wrote '. . . . Dick'" , "and 20 Across: Herman Melville novel" .)

I've seen this clue in the LA Times.

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