184 THE OCEAN. 



ccena) by having the jaws lengthened out into a long 

 and slender beak, almost like that of some bird: in 

 other respects, there is little difference between the 

 Porpesse and the Dolphin. Both are very voracious, 

 pursuing any prey they can master: in the stomach 

 of one taken in the Atlantic, I found a number of 

 the beaks of Catties (Sepiadce). A century or two 

 ago, the flesh of this animal was esteemed a dainty 

 worthy the attention of epicures in this country; 

 but now it is relished only by those whom the salt 

 provisions of a long voyage have rendered less choice 

 than they would be under other circumstances. From 

 the abundance of blood, the meat is very dark in 

 appearance; but to my own taste, on one or two 

 occasions, with my appetite sharpened by the pri- 

 vation just mentioned, steaks cut from it and fried 

 have seemed very savoury and agreeable. 



Now the long yellow strings of floating weed, 

 which lie in parallel lines pointing to the wind, or 

 the broader masses that resemble meadows parched 

 by protracted drought, inform us that we are in that 

 mighty current of tepid water, the Gulf-stream. We 

 hasten to the gangway, and having drawn a few 

 buckets of clear transparent water, which we deposit 

 in a tub, collect with a boat-hook, a quantity of the 

 floating weed, and immerse- it in the tub of water 

 to be examined. Many of the stems and berry- 

 like air-vessels are coated with a thin and delicate 

 tissue of shelly substance {Flustra), of a greyish 

 hue, like very minute network, so delicate as not 

 at all to disfigure or conceal the form of the sub- 

 stance on which it is spread. Attached to the weed 



