248 THE PORPESSE. 



history is under many obligations, weighed one hundred 

 and thirty pounds. The upper part of the porpesse is 

 of a dull bluish or brownish black, and the under part 

 whitish. It has a number of small teeth, at least forty- 

 eight in each jaw ; the dorsal fin is not very high, and 

 placed far back, and the animal makes a curious tum- 

 bling appearance in the water, through which, however, 

 it courses along with considerable rapidity. Herrings, 

 mackerel, whitings, and all other small fish, appear 

 to be its principal food ; though it also catches salmon, 

 and may be seen coursing them in the estuaries. This 

 chase is best seen on those clear sunny evenings which, 

 in the season at which the salmon ascend the estuaries, 

 often succeed to rainy mornings. The porpesses are 

 commonly in a shoal, and their dark backs may be 

 seen tumbling on the troughs of the waves, while the 

 salmon are, ever and anon, springing out of the water, 

 with their pearly scales glittering in the sun in all the 

 radiance of prismatic colours ; but, as is understood, 

 falling down again to their certain destruction, as they 

 do not spring out of the water till the porpesse be 

 near them, and fall down again, exhausted, within its 

 reach. 



With each other, the porpesses seem to be very 

 affectionate and playful animals. They are always 

 together ; and frisk, leap, and sport a great deal upon 

 the water, especially before storms, as the sailors 

 allege. In this they bear some resemblance to pigs, 

 which are understood to be very frolicsome before wind ; 

 and probably this, as well as the form of their bodies, 

 may have helped to procure them the name of " sea 

 swine,'* by which they are vulgarly called in most of 



