CETACEOUS FISHES 2i> 



CHAPTER VI. 



OF TUB DOLPHIN, THE GRAMPUS, AND THE PORPOISED WITH THEIR 

 VARIETIES. 



ALL these fish have teeth both in the upper and the ower jaw, 

 and are much less than the whale. The Grampus, which is the lar- 

 gest, never exceeds twenty feet. It may also be distinguished by the 

 flatness of its head, which resembles a boat turned upside down. The 

 Porpoise resembles the grampus in most things except the snout, 

 which is not above eight feet long ; its snout also more resembles that 

 of a hog. The Dolphin has a strong resemblance to the porpoise, ex- 

 cept that its snout is longer and more pointed. They have all fins 

 on the back ; they all have heads very large, like the rest of the 

 whale kind ; and resemble each other in their appetites, their man- 

 ners, and conformations ; being equally voracious, active, id roving. 



The great agility of these animals prevents their often .v ing taken. 

 They seldom remain a moment above water; sometimes, "ndeed, their 

 too eager pursuits expose them to danger ; and a shoa >f herrings 

 often alluies them out of their depth. In such a case, he hungry 

 animal continues to flounder in the shallows till knocked >i the head, 

 or till the returning tide seasonably comes to its relief. But all this 

 tribe, and the dolphin in particular, are not less swift than destructive. 

 No fish could escape them, but from the awkward position of the 

 mouth, which is placed in a manner under the head: yet, even with 

 these disadvantages, their depredations are so great, that they have 

 been justly styled the plunderers of the deep. 



What could induce the ancients to a predilection in favour of these 

 animals, particularly the dolphin, it is not easy to account for. His- 

 torians and philosophers seem to have contended who should invent 

 the greatest number of fables concerning them. The dolphin was ce- 

 lebrated in the earliest time for its fondness to the human race, and 

 was distinguished by the epithets of the boy-loving and philanthropist 

 Scarce an accident could happen at sea but the dolphin offered him 

 self to convey the unfortunate to shore. The musician flung into the 

 sea by pirates, the boy taking an airing into the midst of the sea, and 

 returning again in safety, were obliged to the dolphin for its services. 

 It is not easy, I say, to assign a cause why the ancients should thus 

 have invented so many fables in their favour. The figure of these 

 animals is .far from prejudicing us in their interests; their extreme 

 rapacity tends still less to endear them ; I know nothing that can re- 

 concile them to man and excite his prejudices, except that when taken 

 they sometimes have a plaintive moan, with which they continue to 

 express their pain till they expire. This, at first, might have excited 

 human pity; and that might have produced human affection. At 

 present, these fishes are regarded even by the vulgar in a very differ- 



