BOOK IX. VI. i8-vn. 22 



scent indeed could not possibly be interpreted as 

 anything else than an infection of the air. Con- 

 sequently it is open to every person to form what- 

 ever opinion about these matters he pleases. Whales 

 do not possess gills, nor do dolphins. These two 

 genera breathe with a tube that passes to the lung, 

 in the case of whales from the forehead and in the 

 case of dolphins from the back. Also sea-calves, 

 called seals, breathe and sleep on land, as also do 

 tortoises, about whom more shortly. 



VII. The swiftest of all animals, not only those of Thedoiphin. 

 the sea, is the dolphin ; it is swifter than a bird and 

 darts faster than a javelin, and were not its mouth 

 much below its snout, almost in the middle of its belly, 

 not a single fish would escape its speed. But natures 

 foresight contributes delay, because they cannot 

 seize their prey except by turning over on their backs. 

 This fact especially shows their speed ; for when 

 spurred by hunger they have chased a fleeing fish into 

 the lowest depths and have held their breath too 

 long, they shoot up like arrows from a bow in order 

 to breathe again, and leap out of the water with 

 such force that they often fly over a ship's sails. 

 They usually roam about in couples, husband and 

 wife ; * the)'^ bear cubs after nine months, in the 

 summer season, occasionally even twins. They 

 suckle their young, as do whales, and even carry 

 them about while weak from infancy ; indeed they 

 accompany them for a long time even when grown 

 up, so great is their affection for their offspring. 

 They grow up quickly, and are beHeved to reach their 

 full size in 10 years. They live as much as 30 years, 

 vs has been ascertained by amputating the tail of a 

 specimen for an experiment. They are in retirement 



177 



