THE SEA-SWINE. 69 



Species III. — The Sea-swine. 



Delphinus Phocoena; L. 



Delphinus Phocoena: Briss. Regne An. 371, No. 2. 

 Dauphin Marsouin: Lacep. Cet. 284, pi. 13, fig-. 2. 

 Dauphin Marsouin: Bonnatebbe, Cetol, p. 18, sp. 1. 



[Called by the English Pdrpus: by the Dutch Bruinvisch; 

 in German Meerschwein; by the French Marsouin.] 



We give an account of this species in this place, 

 because authors are in the habit of ranking it among 

 those which frequent our coasts. But we have not 

 been able at any time to learn that the sea-swine 

 has been seen in our waters, or that any other spe- 

 cies than those already mentioned are known to our 

 fishermen. The dolphin first described, or true 

 dolphin, is the species universally known by the 

 name of porpas* in this country, and is at once dis- 

 tinguishable from the European porpus, or sea- 

 swine, by its elongated flattened beak; the latter 

 having a blunt snout, without any beak. If it ever 

 is seen on our coasts, it must be very rare, as Ave 

 have been thus far unable to find any one who has 

 seen it, except in the seas bordering the shores of 

 Europe. We therefore introduce the description of 



* Porpus is a corruption of porc-poisson, as the French 

 marsouin is of the German meerschwein. 



