DOLPHINS. 357 



cessive days, traversed by a company of Dolphins, 

 or, as the fishermen called them, Porpesses. They 

 went rolling on, one after the other, very leisurely ; 

 keeping, when I observed them, which was at about 

 sun-rise, in a line with a stretch of ripples that gave 

 their thread-Hke motion to the surface from the 

 upper to the lower end of the harbour, along the 

 otherwise smooth-glazed waters. The fishermen de- 

 scribed them as going to the upper end of the har- 

 bour to feed on the Mullet fry, just now very abun- 

 dant there, and as not quitting them till they had 

 stored their stomachs for the day. I thought their 

 taking the wind was a very noticeable incident, and 

 determined to set it down as something characteristic 

 that had come under my own observation. I should 

 have liked, however, to have ascertained, by repeti- 

 tion, whether it can be considered a trait of instinct 

 or not. The fishermen of Ray's-town were bawling 

 in a seine of prodigious dimensions at the time. 

 This part of the harbour is shoal, and the nets are 

 laid out far from the shore, being drawn in to land 

 with a full mile of outward rope. The Porpesses 

 crossed the lines of the seine, and, though they did 

 not seem to regard the nets or the congregated 

 swimmers within their sweep, their traverse had so 

 frightened away the fish, that the hawl was altogether 

 unproductive. The fishermen say they have occa- 

 sionally caught them entangled, but are best con- 

 tented when they never come near them, as they are 

 altogether unmarketable prizes." 



