162 MAMMALIA. CETACEA. 



FAMILY II. CETACEA. 



Teeth pointed or obtuse, all of one kind, upon the borders of 

 the jaws ; or transverse corneous laminae in the arch of the 

 palate ; two anal mammae ; spiracles on the top of the head. 



1st Division. With small head. 



Gen. 149- DELPHTNUS, Lin. Cuv. Geoff. Desm. Delphi- 

 napterus, Lacep. 



Teeth variable in number, of a canine form, sometimes com- 

 pressed and dentated on their cutting margins, from 200 to 

 none at all ; jaws more or less advanced in form of a beak ; 



racles with a crescent-shaped aperture ; an adipose dorsal 

 , or a longitudinal fold of the skin ; tail flattened horizon- 

 tally and bifurcated. 



Sub-Gen. 1. DELPHINORHYNCUS, Blainville. Snout prolonged, with 

 a long and slender beak ; jaws almost linear, with numerous teeth 

 on their margins. 



D. Geoffroyi, Desm. Jaws straight, linear, very long ; a longitudi- 

 nal fold of the skin on the back in place of a fin; grayish above, white 

 below. Four feet and a-half long. Coasts of Brazil. Mam. 512. 



D. coronatufs, Desm. Jaws elongated into a very long and pointed 

 }0 beak, the lower surpassing the upper ; 24 teeth on each side 

 / ' below, 15 above ; a small dorsal fin ; colour black. From 30 to 

 36 feet long. Frozen Ocean. Mam. 512. 



D. Gangeticus, Desm. (D. roslratus, Shaw.) Forehead gibbous ; 

 snout very long ; upper jaw with 27 or 28 teeth, under one with 

 30 ; colour pearly gray. Length 6^ feet. Ganges Mam. 513. 



Sub-Gen. 2. DELPHINUS, Blainv. Snout prolonged into a beak, 

 broad at its base and rounded at its extremity ; jaws furnished 

 with numerous teeth. 



D. delphis, Desm. The Dolphin of the ancients. Jaws moderately 

 elongated, and of equal length; 42 to 45 teeth in each jaw, 

 pointed and bent; dorsal fin nearest to the tail; colour black 

 above, fading insensibly to white below. Seasof Europe. Shaw,ii. 

 pi. 229, fig. 1. 



The Dolphin is from eight to ten feet in length, preys on various species of the 

 smaller fish, and sometimes even attacks the whale. According to Pliny this ani- 

 mal has an affection for man, and is fond of music ; and he relates a very improbable 

 story of one which carried a boy daily for many years across the arm of the sea from 

 Baia to Puteoli to school. In modern times the appearance of the dolphin and 

 the porpoise sporting on the water is held to portend an approaching storm. 



D. tursio, Desm. Jaws moderately elongated, the lower one largest ; 

 p 23 teeth on each side above, 21 below; back blackish; belly white. 



European Seas Mam. 514. 

 D. nesarnac, Desm. Snout compressed ; teeth 20 to 23 on each side, 



strong, obtuse ; body very thick. Seas of Greenland. Mam. 515. 





