246 THE POLPHI]N OP PERNETTY. 



conscious that escape was impossible ; their flight 

 became shorter and more flurried, whilst the Dol- 

 phin, animated by the certain prospect of success, 

 grew more vigorous in his bounds : exhausted, they 

 dropped their wings, and fell one by one into the jaws 

 of the Dolphin, or were snapt up by the vigilant 

 gulls. (Sketches of Bermuda by Miss S. H. Lloyd, 

 Lond. 1835.) 



THE LEAD-COLOURED DOLPHIN. 



PLATE XXV. Fig. 1. 

 Delphinus Plumbeus, Dussumier^ Fr. Cuvier. 

 A REFERENCE to the plate will supersede the ne- 

 cessity of giving a long description of this species. 

 The length is about eight feet ; perpendicular height, 

 where largest, one-sixth of the whole length; greatest 

 thickness scarcely so much. The whole body is of 

 a uniform leaden greyish tint, except the extremity 

 and under part of the lower jaw which are whitish. 



Teeth rx ,7^, one hundred and thirty-six. 



This species was found on the Malabar coast, where 

 it is abundant. " They frequent," says M. Dussu- 

 inier," the shores and pursue the shoals of pilchards. 

 Its movements are much less rapid than those which 

 are found in the midst of the ocean. The natives 

 capture them in nets, but with much difficulty, be- 

 cause they seem to suspect the intentions of the 

 fishermen, and very cautiously avoid the snare. 

 The noise of a musket makes them fly in all direc- 



