THE DOLPHINS. 



5 



hairs. Tha body is thick, the dorsal fin 

 scarcely indicated, the tail fin large, but only 

 slightly hollowed out behind, the fore-limbs 



very long, and very narrow at the end. The 

 blow-hole is simple, and has the form of a 

 horse -shoe with the convexity directed 



Kig. 131. — The Fresh-water Dolphin {Plataiiisla gatigcticn). 



towards the forehead. There are as many 

 as 70 short wrinkletj teeth thickened at the 

 base. These dolphins, which are very 

 abundant in many localities, lead a very noisy 



life, and here and there are protected by a 

 number of prejudices and superstitious tales 

 against persecution by the Indians. They 

 attain, like the Platanista, a length of only 



6^ feet. The back is bluish, the belly of a 

 rose-colour. 



The true Marine Dolphins {Delphinns) 

 approach this fresh-water genus in the horse- 

 shoe-shape of the blow-hole, and in the 



imazonica). 



possession of a long beak with numerous 

 teeth. The Common Dolphin {Delphinns 

 dclphis), fig. 133, which is found in the 

 ocean, in the Mediterranean, and the Red 

 Sea, is the best-known representative of the 



