146 Natural History Bulletin. 



meat was used as bait, and for a long time it seemed as if 

 the attempt were doomed to failure. The dolphins appeared 

 to be tempted, but would sheer off again in the most exasper- 

 ating manner. Finali}^ one adventurous fish swallowed the 

 hook, and soon lay on deck, a mass of changing hues. An- 

 other and another followed suit, and soon the dolphins were 

 biting ravenously, and being hauled aboard in the most gratify- 

 ing numbers, until nearly all had paid the penalty of their 

 rashness. They proved excellent eating, and we much enjoyed 

 the store of good fresh fish thus so opportunely secured. 



The far-famed colors of the dolphin are not exaggerated. 

 Indeed they could not be, so vivid and exquisite are they. 

 One specimen w^as a monster of its kind, being four feet long 

 and having the frontal prominence greatly developed, — so 

 much so that the eye appeared to be in about the middle of 

 the head. A broad band running from the forehead nearly 

 to the tail was a real glittering gold, just as true a gilt as could 

 be made by laying on gold leaf. This is the largest surface 

 covered with this rare metallic color that I have seen in na- 

 ture. The dorsal fin was a rich blue, the under surface was 

 white dotted with small, regular!}' distributed "polka dots" of 

 blue. Yellow, red and green also entered into the coloration 

 of this gorgeous creature. The changing of hues while dying 

 consisted in flushes of color passing rather slowlv from one to 

 another. It did not seem, however, to be so brilliant at any 

 time while dving as it was immediatelv upon coming out of 

 the water. In a few minutes all the richness of color was 

 gone forever, and nothing remained but a verv ordinary fish. 

 A good cast of this creature made after the modern method' 

 and colored correctly, would be a most attractive object for a 

 museum, although most of the visitors would doubtless con- 

 sider it highly unnatural and impossible, a criticism often made 

 by the ignorant in the presence of faithful reproductions of 

 natural objects. 



Of course the absence of ice on board the schooner was 

 something of a hardship to those who had never before been 

 called upon to do without it during hot weather. It would 



