394 MAMMALIA—DOLPHIN. 
in length, and three or four in circumference. Its flesh is a white, well 
tasted, and salubrious food. When the thicker parts of the skin are cut 
into slices and dried, they become exceedingly tough, and form good whips. 
Of the thinner parts, which have more pliability, the Indians make thongs 
to fasten together the sides of their canoes.’ 
THE DOLPHIN 
Tus is a distinct animal from the small fish which sailors call by the 
same name; and though so often painted as being of the shape of the letter 
S, the dolphin is almost straight, the back being very slightly incurvated, 
and the body slender. The nose is long, narrow, and pointed, with a broad 
transverse band, or projection of the skin on its upper part. From the 
shape of the nose, the animal has been called the sea-goose. The mouth is 
very wide, and has twenty-one teeth in the upper, and nineteen in the lower 
jaw, somewhat above an inch long, conic at the upper end, sharp pointed, 
and bending a little in. They are placed at a small distance from each 
other; so that when the mouth is shut, the teeth of both jaws lock into each 
other. The spout hole is placed in the middle 6f the head; the tail is semi- 
lunar; the skin is smooth; the color of the back and sides dusky; the belly 
whitish. It swims with great swiftness, and its prey is fish, but particularly 
cod, herrings, and flat fish. The dolphin is longer and more slender than 
the porpoise, measuring nine or ten feet in length, and two in diameter. ~ © 
All this species have fins on the back; and resemble each other in their 
appetites, their manners, and conformation, being equally voracious, active, 
and roving. No fish could escape them, but from the awkward position 
of their mouth, which is placed ina manner under the head. Their own 
agility is so great, as to prevent them from being often taken; and they 
seldom remain a moment above water. Their too eager pursuit after prey 
occasionally, however, exposes them to danger; as they will sometimes 
follow the object of their pursuit even into the nets of the fishermen. 
1 Delphinus delphis, Lrx. The genus Delphinus has teeth variable in number, of a 
canine form, sometimes compressed and dentated on their cutting margins, from two nun- 
dred to none at all; jaws more or less advanced in form of a beak; spiracles with a cres- 
cent shaped aperture; an adipose, dorsal fin, or a longitudinal fold of the skin ; tail flat- 
tened horizontally, and bifurcated 
