THE DOLJHIN. ^$ 



l^aMj aire occafioried by fome prefentiment of that tur- 

 bulence and commotion which is foon to take place in 

 their element ; a commotion which obliges the fmaller 

 fifnes to (ink to the bottom, and which of courfe deprives 

 thtm of their accuftomed prey. 



Almoft every thing marvellous in natural hiftory dif- 

 appears on farther acquaintance, and more accurate exa- 

 mination of the fubjeft. This has been the fate of all 

 thofe extraordinary circumllances related of the dolphin. 

 So great is the number of thofe animals that play around 

 this ifland, and fo frequently 'are they taken, that expe- 

 rience and ocular^^ teftimony, foon contradi£led thofe tales 

 that had been the growth of credulity and ignorance. 



The fwiftnefs of thsfe animals in the purfuit of their 

 prey, and their extraordinary avidity to fecure it. are al- 

 moft the only peculiarities {i£ fuch they can be called) 

 which farther experience has afcertained to belong to 

 them, or at leall to chara£lerife their manners. Be/on* 

 long ago remarked, that they eafily came up with the 

 Ihip in which he was, though in full fail before a brifk 

 gale ; and that they played around her, with a velocity 

 refembling that of a bird in the air. This extraordinary 

 fwiftnefs of the dolphin feems to be the combined efte£b 

 of agility and ftrength ; by means of it they are enabled 

 to make dreadful havoc among the falmon, herring and 

 mackrel They are frequently f;;en fighting pitched bat- 

 tles with the amide f. The two difTerent kinds of fifh 

 range tnemfeives on each fide, like coniending armies. 

 In one of tbefe engagements, at the opening into the JJar~ 



danellesy 



* Hift. PIfcIum. 



•j- A fifh in the Mediterranean refemblinj a falmon. 



