460 DELPHINID^. 



was found to be a pregnant female. Of late years more 

 than one attempt has been made to keep Porpoises alive 

 in the gardens of the Zoological Society, but hitherto 

 without success, the animals having experienced rough 

 treatment before coming into the Society's hands. That 

 the animal will live in confinement under favourable 

 circumstances is shown by the fact, recorded by Mr. 

 Couch, that one taken by some fishermen in Cornwall 

 was placed in a pond at a farm, where it lived for a 

 month. 



The period of gestation is stated by Anderson to be 

 six months, and the pairing season is said to be in 

 summer. This agrees with the account given above on 

 Dr. Salter's authority, in which a female was found to be 

 pregnant towards the end of the year : but Mr. Jenyns 

 relates that one brought to the London market in May 

 1833, was found to contain a full-formed young one. 



The name Porpoise is derived from the French Porc- 

 poisson, and names similar in significance have been given 

 it in many languages ; as the French Mmsouin, Gothic 

 Marsuin, German Meerschwein, and English Sea-hog, 

 Herring-hog, and Hog-fish. The Shetland name of 

 Neesook or Nisack is a diminutive of the Norse name Nise, 

 the primary meaning of which, we are informed by the 

 Rev. T. Barclay, is a goblin or sprite. 



The head of the Porpoise is rounded, the forehead is 

 obtuse, and there is no external beak or rostrum ; the 

 opening of the mouth is moderately large, and the lower 

 jaw is very little longer than the upper. The eye is 

 small, with a vertical elliptical pupil ; the blow-hole is 

 exactly over the eyes, and is in the form of a crescent, 

 concave in front. The dorsal-fin is obtusely triagonal, 

 the anterior margin slightly convex and often furnished 

 with a series of small tubercles — these, although noticed 



