THE TRUE DOLPHIN. 63 



to be borne along by the tide rather than urged for- 

 wards by their own volition. They moved in half 

 circles, and lying rather upon their sides, and occa- 

 sionally lashing the water into foam with their tails 

 — then both disappearing, one iu a few seconds 

 would rise at a little distance as if pursued— make 

 a short leap above the surface of the water, and on 

 falling, again commence the same kind of semicircu- 

 lar movement above described, accompanied by the 

 other. We never observed them to show the beau- 

 ful inferior surface of their bodies at any other peri- 

 od, or to raise the tail fin above the water. But at 

 this season, the whole inferior surface of the body 

 on one side was frequently visible, and the tail occa- 

 sionally whirled in air, and brought down with 

 great force. 



We would have inferred that these movements 

 belonged to their ordinary gambols, was it not for 

 the fact that they all appeared to be paired off, and 

 almost all the pairs seen at this time were similarly 

 occupied. With the exception of a lapse of about 

 three weeks in the month above mentioned, we 

 have never observed them to act in the same man- 

 ner. During the period referred to, we spent a part 

 of every day in observing them, and have repeated- 

 ly been within eight or ten feet of the spot where 

 they were sporting. Occasionally we have watch- 

 ed them for hours, until the force of the tide swept 

 them far beyond our view. 



