PORPOISES. 27 



family DELPHINIDAE. This family consists of true dolphins or 

 bottle-noses and porpoises. The larger species are dignified 

 by the name of whales. The Narwhal, or sea unicorn, 

 belongs to this family. Nothing can be more interesting at 

 sea than to watch a shoal of porpoises disporting themselves 

 round the ship. They swim with the utmost rapidity, and 

 distance easily the fastest steamers. The agility and grace 

 of their movements in the water are always watched with 

 admiration. They are very abundant in all seas. Their 

 principal food is fish. The species mostly met with, was the 

 common porpoise, Phocaena communis, derived from the 

 Italian name, porco-pesce, or hog-fish. It is about six feet in 

 length, and is of a bluish-black colour on the back, and white 

 underneath. The whole body is covered with a layer of fat, 

 nearly an inch in thickness, and the flesh beneath is red and 

 resembles that of the hog. It has numerous small sharp teeth 

 in both jaws, and a dorsal fin in the middle of the body. For 

 hours they will follow the same direction as the ship, con 

 stantly rolling and tumbling over the water, and passing from 

 one side of the ship to the other. They feed on fish, and are 

 seen sometimes on shore, searching for food in the soil, like 

 hogs. Their flesh is considered very good, and tastes some 

 what like that of beef. The oil procured from the blubber is 

 of the purest kind and very valuable. With the skin, duly 

 prepared, coverings for carriages and wearing apparels are 

 made. Lately I have had a pair of boots made of porpoise 

 skin, and I have not been able to wear them out. It is quite 

 impermeable, and the right thing for hunting or fishing 

 purposes. 



The Narwhal, Monodan monoceros, belongs to this 

 family, but differs greatly from all the others by its dentition. 

 It has only two teeth, both of which lie horizontally in the 

 upper jaw. In the female, both remain concealed within the 

 bone of the jaw, so that this sex is practically toothless ; but 

 in the male, while the right tooth remains concealed and 

 abortive in general, the left is immensely developed, attaining 

 more than half the whole length of the animal. In some, 

 both teeth are fully developed, but this is very rare. The use 

 of this tooth, or spiral twisted tusk, is not known, but I think 

 it must be used as an offensive and defensive weapon. 



The Narwhals inhabit the Arctic regions, where they are 

 abundant, and met with in shoals of twenty or more. They are 

 often seen sporting about the ships, like the porpoises. They 

 feed on fish, molluscae and crustaceae. 



