1 14 History of Nature. [BooK IX. 



hath afforded an Hinderance ; for unless they turn upright 

 upon their Back, they cannot lay hold ; from whence chiefly 

 appeareth their Swiftness. For when the Dolphins are 

 urged by Hunger to pursue a Fish that flies before them 

 down to the very Bottom, and hold their Breath for a long 

 Time, to take Breath again they dart aloft as if they were 

 shot out of a Bow; and with such Force do they spring up, 

 that many Times they pass over the Sails of Ships. They 

 act almost as if they were united in Marriage. They pro- 

 duce their young ones in the tenth Month, in the Summer- 

 time ; and sometimes they have two at once. They suckle 

 them at their Teats, as the (Whales) Balaens do ; and so 

 long as their little ones are feeble from Youth, they carry them 

 about ; so that even when they are become of full size they bear 

 them Company through their great Affection to their Young. 

 Young Dolphins come very speedily to their Growth; for in 

 ten Years they are thought to have come to their full Big- 

 ness ; but they live thirty Years, as hath been known by the 

 Trial of cutting a Mark in their Tail. They lie close for the 

 Space of thirty Days, about the Rising of the Dog-star; con- 

 cealing themselves in some unknown Manner, which is the 

 more wonderful if they cannot breathe under Water. They 

 are accustomed to spring forth to the Land from some un- 

 certain Cause ; and as soon as they touch the dry Ground 

 they die : and so much the sooner because their Pipe is 

 closed. Their Tongue is movable, contrary to the Nature of 

 other Creatures living in the Waters ; it is also short and 

 broad, not much unlike that of a Swine. Their Voice resem- 

 bleth the Moaning of a Man ; they are Saddle-backed, and 

 the Snout is flat. And this is the Cause that all of them, in 

 a wonderful Manner, acknowledge the Name Simo, and like 

 to be so called. The Dolphin is not only a friendly Creature 

 to Man, but also to the Art of Music: it is delighted with 

 Harmony in Song, but especially with the Sound of the 

 Water Instrument. Of Man it is not afraid as of a Stranger; 

 but meeteth their Ships, playeth as if in Joy, enters into 

 Competition, and out-goeth them, although they carry full 

 Sails. 



