126 ACANTHOPTERYGII. SCOMBRIDiE. 



waters of the southern seas, and flinging back 

 the blaze of a tropical sun. Its long dorsal is 

 sky-blue, with the rays gold coloured ; its caudal 

 green; the body is green on the upper parts, 

 mottled with orange, and the under parts shine 

 with the lustre of burnished silver, divided from 

 the green hue by a yellow lateral line. 



In the tropical parts of the Atlantic we have 

 been familiar with a species akin to this, but 

 apparently distinct from it. In those waters, 

 especially in the calms that so frequently prevail 

 where the trade -wind ceases, the Coryphenes, or 

 as seamen incorrectly name them. Dolphins, are 

 very common. One is never weary of admiring 

 their beauty. Their form is deep, but thin and 

 somewhat flattened : and their sides are of bril- 

 liant pearly white, like polished silver. In small 

 companies of flve or six, they usually appear and 

 play around and beneath the ship, sometimes 

 close to the surface, and sometimes at such a 

 depth that the eye can but dimly discern their 

 shadowy outline. When playing at an incon- 

 siderable depth, in their turnings hither and 

 thither, the rays of the sun, reflected from their 

 polished sides, as one or the other is exposed to 

 the light, flash out in sudden gleams, or are in- 

 terrupted, in a very striking manner. Night and 

 day these interesting creatures are sporting about, 

 apparently insusceptible of weariness. Their 

 motion is very rapid, when their powers are put 

 forth, as in pursuit of the timid little Flying- 

 fish. 



In all books of Natural History we see ac- 

 counts of the fleeting hues which play over the 

 body of the Coryphene in the agonies of death ; 



