176 MAMMALIA, REPTILIA, ETC. 



capacious enough to admit of the evolutions of a 

 whale.* A rare species of grampus (Grampus griseus) 

 was placed there in 1875, but unfortunately it only 

 lived a day. Porpoises are much commoner, and if 

 there are two or three placed together, they appear to 

 live under these artificial conditions for a longer time. 

 Two of these animals lived for five and seven months 

 respectively, in the Brighton Aquarium, and became 

 so tame that they would take their food from the 

 hand of one of the attendants, and came like dogs 

 from the farther end of their tank at the sound of his 

 whistle. The habits of animals undoubtedly must 

 have a great influence on the ease or difficulty with 

 which they are kept. Some are solitary, others 

 gregarious, or social. The latter pine or are restless 

 when alone, but become more cheerful when provided 

 with companions. Such is the case with the porpoise. 

 Fish of the herring tribe are its usual food. The seal 

 is another animal easily tamed, and for years indi- 

 viduals have been conveyed about the country and 

 exhibited at fairs, &c. It will be remembered that 

 one species acquired a good deal of notoriety from 

 its being exhibited in London as the " Talking Fish." 

 Several specimens have been and still are kept at the 

 Brighton, Southport, and other aquaria. At Brighton, 

 however, the chief living objects of interest are the 



* Owing to the depressed, or horizontally flattened tails of marine 

 mammals (for the purpose of diving), the tanks are required to be 

 exceedingly deep if these animals are to be kept healthy. 



