136 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 



the tail must give them an enormous impetus, or be given so rapidly 

 that it escapes the sight ; for, watch as I might, I could never catch 

 sight of it. The beautiful creatures slid through the water apparently 

 motionless, for all the world as if they were moved by will-power 

 alone, like Hiawatha's canoe. 



It seems a shame to countenance the taking of such happy lives ; 

 but as the supply of fresh meat is sometimes a matter of importance 

 at sea, it must be mentioned here that the flesh of the Dolphin is 

 quite good eating, even to a landsman, according to Mr. Frank Bullen. 

 Here it should also be said that the " Dolphin " of sailors is really a 

 fish (Coryphcena hippurus), and it is this creature which changes its 

 colours while dying. 



Being so well known in the Mediterranean, the Common Dolphin 

 was, of course, familiar to the ancients, who told wonderful stories of 

 its intelligence and its friendliness to man ; it was even credited with 

 the philanthropic habit of rescuing drowning people by carrying them 

 ashore on its back. At any rate, in the present day, some species of 

 Dolphin helps the Moreton Bay natives in their fishing by driving 

 the fish inshore to them. 



Dolphins more or less nearly allied to this species are found in 

 all seas, and even in some great rivers, and three kinds visit our 

 coasts the White-beaked Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) , dis- 

 tinguished by its white muzzle; the White-sided Dolphin (L. acutus\ 

 with a white and buff stripe along its flanks ; and the Bottle-nosed 

 Dolphin (Ttirsiops tursio), with a peculiarly swollen muzzle, which last 

 kind reaches ten feet in total length. 



