GLADIATOR DOLPHIN, 



Species II.— Gladiator Dolphin. 



Delphinus Gladiator. 



Schwerdt Jisch: Anderson, Island, p. 155. 



Poisson d Sabre: Pages voyage au Pole nord, ii. p. 142. 



Delphinus dorsi pinna altissima, & Mueleb, Zool. Dan. Prod. p. 



8. n. 57. 

 Delphinus Maximus: Olaesen, Voy. en Islande. 

 Dauphin Epee deMer: Bonnat. Cetol, sp. 5. p. 23. 

 Dauphin Gladiateur: Lacep. Hist. Nat. des Cetac£s, 302. pi. 5, fig. 3. 

 Dauphin Espadan: Desm. Mammal, sp. 773. p. 517. 



This dolphin was first described by Anderson in 

 the work above quoted, and we have very little 

 knowledge of it, except what is derived from him. 

 The head of the gladiator is not highly arched 

 above, but is gradually tapering towards the snout, 

 which is short and as if truncated. Its mouth is 

 furnished with small pointed teeth. Its most re- 

 markable characteristic is a dorsal fin, which is 

 three or four feet high, by eighteen inches wide at 

 its base, slender towards its summit, and recurved 

 towards the tail. Mariners believe that this fin is 

 employed by this dolphin in attacking the whale; 

 but Anderson states " that it is rather the mouth of 

 the animal that is dangerous. As they commonly 

 swim in small troops, they attack the whale in a 

 body, and tear off" great pieces of his flesh, until 

 becoming excited to a certain degree, he thrusts out 

 his tongue, when they immediately fasten on this 



