46 MARINE AND AQUATIC TRESPASSERS. 



have been very much struck with the exceeding grace 

 of its swift movements, as it twists and turns in the 

 water, following and often anticipating every move- 

 ment of its agile prey. 



There are many of these creatures, some of which, 

 as they attain a large size, are properly known as 

 whales. Such, for example, is the Beluga, commonly 

 called the White Whale, on account of its creamy 

 white colour. It sometimes attains to the length of 

 twenty feet, and is therefore so large an animal that 

 the popular title of whale is a very natural one. It is 

 however, simply a very large Dolphin ; and has all the 

 characteristics of its tribe, including the extreme 

 agility which is necessary in capturing prey. Whalers, 

 therefore, seldom attempt its capture, for, in the 

 first place, its exceeding activity makes it a diffi- 

 cult mark for the harpooner; and in the next 

 place, even if the harpoon be successfully thrown, 

 the beluga can generally manage to shake it out 

 again. 



The Greenlanders, however, in their light canoes, 

 manage to capture it; and in many parts of North 

 America, where it enters the tidal rivers in search of 

 fish, it is captured by means of nets, which are spread 

 across the river, and intercept its progress sufficiently 

 to render it a mark for various missiles. The St. 

 Lawrence river is a favourite resort of the beluga, 

 where it is regularly hunted, the skin and oil being 

 very valuable, and the flesh being in some esteem 

 when salted. 



Another well-known trespasser on the sea is the 

 Dolphin. 



