THE DOLPHIN, &C. 303 



was either known by the name of the philanthropist, or 

 the boy-loving animal that resided in the deep. 



The figure of the dolphin is far from prepossessing, 

 and the rapacity of its appetites does not seem calculated 

 to endear ; it is difficult, therefore, to account for the 

 prejudice in their favour, unless it proceeds from their 

 plaintive moan, which, by first exciting the pity of the 

 compassionate, may imperceptibly have been converted 

 into love. It is not to one circumstance that the Ancients 

 have confined their fable, for even the figure of the 

 animal is erroneously described, and, instead of being 

 presented in a straight direction, the body of the fish 

 is regularly curved. This error in the painter's judg- 

 ment proceeds from their taking that form when they 

 bound or leap out of the sea; and mariners now gene- 

 rally consider these gambols as the forerunners of a 

 storm. 



Whether these motions are produced by pleasure, or 

 whether they proceed from dreading the turbulentefFects 

 of the waves, is a circumstance that cannot easily be 

 ascertained ; but in times of fair weather they are seen 

 jherding together, and impetuously pursuing shoals of 

 various kinds of fish. Their method of hunting their 

 game, if so it may be called, is to follow in a pack, and 

 give each other mutual aid; and thus pursued, neither 

 salmon, mackarel, or herrings, have any chance of mak- 

 ing their escape. 



The porpoise not only seeks its prey near the surface 

 of the element, but often descends to the bottom in 

 search of sea-worms and sand-eels, which it roots out 

 of the sand in the same manner as a hog turns up the 

 ground with its snout. These rapacious animals often 

 pursue their victims until they arrive in a fresh-water 



