THE INIA OF THE AMAZON. 383 



its fat, which they regard as a sovereign cure for rheumatism and other 

 diseases of like nature. Its flesh is used only as bait for other fishes. 



GENUS INIA. 



In 1 8 19, Humboldt published his observations on a dolphin which 

 frequents the fresh-water streams of South America, but we owe to the 

 French naturalist, D'Orbigny, the first accurate description. This trav- 

 eler was astonished to hear that there existed five hundred miles from 

 the Atlantic Ocean a " fish " which he was compelled to recognize as a 

 dolphin ; he had considerable difficulty in procuring a specimen, but 

 finally obtained one at Principe Dobeira, the frontier port of Brazil. 



The Inia, Inia Aniazonica, is called " Bufes " by the Spaniards, 

 "Bonto " by the Brazilians, and " Inia " by the Indians. The breathing 

 apparatus is placed far back on a line with the pectoral fin, the dorsal fin 

 is very small, the mouth is cleft far back, the snout is prolonged into a 

 narrow, round beak covered with stiff" bristles, each jaw possesses about 

 sixty-six teeth. The length of the body is from six to nine feet, the 

 female being only half as large. The color of the back is a dull blue, 

 passing into a rosy red beneath. There are considerable variations in 

 color, and specimens have been seen entirely red, and entirely black. 



As far as is known, the Inia is found in all the streams of South 

 America between 10° and 17° south. It is common in the Orinoco and 

 the Amazon and its tributaries. It differs from the Sea-Dolphins in its 

 movements, which are slower and less lively ; it comes more often to 

 the surface to breathe, and usually forms only small societies. Schom- 

 burgk observed dolphins which he considered identical with the Inia in 

 the rivers of Guiana ; they were especially numerous during and just 

 after the rainy season. " Very often six or eight of them appeared, 

 keeping together, in pairs, or swimming swift as an arrow just under the 

 surface, or at other times diving up and down incessantly, thus display- 

 ing not only their pointed snout, but the greatest part of their body 

 above the water. As soon as the head was above the surface, they 

 snorted like horses, the water ejected from the blow-holes looked like 

 fine rain, and gave a remarkable charm to the quiet landscape." 



Bates, the explorer of the Amazons, asserts that there are three 

 species of this genus. " From its mouth, for fifteen hundred miles 

 upward, we heard continually, especially by night, one or other of these 



