THE TRUE DOLPHINS. 



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in pursuit of the Salmon and other fishes, a statement corroborated by observers on British coasts. 

 The great swiftness of these creatures is best realised by the fact that they pursue and overtake 

 the quick-swimming Dolphins, literally swallowing them alive. They are not gregarious in the sense 

 of being found in large herds, but follow their prey in small squads. At times they move rapidly 

 near the surface, their great back-fins projecting, or they tumble and roll about, even leaping out of 

 the water and cutting all manner of capers. They have an evenly-rounded head, blunter than the 

 Porpoise's, the upper jaw a trifle longer than the lower. Their flippers are broad and oval-shaped, 

 and what renders them peculiar and easily recognised is their greatly-lengthened dorsal fin, in some 

 species said to be equal to one-fifth of the whole length of the animal. Though slightly varying 

 in colour, they are usually glossy black above, and white below, the tints sharply defined. Above 



DOLPHINS PURSUING A BOAT. 



the eye is a white patch, and occasionally there is a greyish saddle mark on their back. Their 

 capacious mouth is provided with eleven or twelve teeth on each side above and below, and each tooth 

 is most powerful, conical, and slightly recurved. 



THE TRUE DOLPHINS, from which in fact the group Delphinidce takes its origin, are associated in 

 mythology and poetry to a considerable extent. The car of Amphitrite drawn by these oceanic 

 animals is well known. The COMMON DOLPHIN * and the BOTTLE-NOSE DOLPHIN t of British coasts 

 are kinds familiar to fishermen and sailors, the former evidently being that known to the ancients. 

 Naturalists have recognised many genera and numerous species of the Dolphin tribe, but into these 

 and their distinctions we shall not enter. If we take the common Dolphin as a representative, it will 

 be seen that the head has a well-marked rostrum or beak, and an abruptly-rounded forehead ; the 

 dorsal fin is high, and the flippers of moderate size. When adult they average from six to eight feet 

 in length. Their colour is black above and brilliant white beneath ; though many of the species of 

 Dolphins are parti-coloured, white predominating. The teeth vary in number from forty to fifty on 



* Delphinus defphis. f D. tursio. 



