COMMON DOLPHIN 113 



COMMON DOLPHIN. 

 DELPHINUS DELPHIS L. 



The Dolphin, being more of a southern species than most 

 of the other Cetaceans here mentioned, is probably only an 

 occasional visitant to our shores. 



The "Dolphin," as distinguished from the Porpoise, was 

 specifically mentioned by Sibbald as occurring in the Firths of 

 Forth and Tay in the seventeenth century, and their relative 

 sizes were correctly indicated. His words are as follows : 



Of these [Delphinidse] in both these firths there are two 

 sorts. The bigger beareth the name of Dolphin, and our 

 fishers call them Meer-swines. The lesser is called Phocsena, 

 a Porpess " (" History of Fife and Kinross," new ed., 1803, 

 p. 115). In his " Phalainologia nova" (p. 6) he also 

 mentions the " Delphinus," as distinguished from the " Orca " 

 and " Phoccena" and gives an excellent figure of it, so 

 that there is reason to believe some at least of his 

 Dolphins were the true one. Attention may also be drawn 

 to the fact that Don includes the species in his list of 

 Forfarshire animals (Headrick's "Agriculture" of Angus, 

 App, p. 39). 



In the Museum of Science and Art, Edinburgh, there is 

 exhibited a stuffed specimen of the Dolphin, labelled " Firth 

 of Forth," but I have not been able to learn more of its 

 history. It is understood to have been preserved at least 

 thirty to thirty-five years ago. 



From these somewhat unsatisfactory records, we pass to 

 the following recent and authentic occurrence of Delphinus 

 delphis in the Firth of Forth. In February 1887, a boating 

 party observed a school of six or eight small Cetaceans 

 swimming about in pairs in a bay on the Dalmeny estate 



K 



