182 
SEA 
BeruGa, 
$°h en ADEE 
the upper lobe the longeft: the body covered with thick hair, grey 
on the back, reddifh on the belly. It feemed deftitute of feet. 
It was extremely wanton, and played a multitude of monkey- 
tricks. It fometimes fwam on one fide, fometimes on the other fide 
of the fhip, and gazed at it with great admiration. It made fo near 
an approach to the veffel, as almoft to be touched with a pole; but 
if any body moved, it inftantly retired. It would often ftand ere& 
for a confiderable fpace, with one-third of its body above water ; 
then dart beneath the fhip, and appear on the other fide; and repeat 
the fame thirty times together. It would frequently arife with a fea- 
plant, not unlike the Bottle-gourd, tofs it up, and catch it in its 
mouth, playing with it numberlefs fantaftic tricks *, 
On animals of this fpecies the fable of the Sirens might very well 
be founded. 
I fhall conclude this article with a recantation of what I fay in the 
357th page of my Synopfis, relating to the Beluga; which I now find 
was. collected, by the author I cite, from the reports of Coffacks, and 
ignorant fifhermen. ‘The animal proves at laft to be one of the 
cetaceous tribe, of the genus of Dolphin, and of.a fpecies called by 
the Germans Wit-Fifch, and by the Rufians Beluga + ; both fignifying 
White fifh : but to this the laft add Morfkaia, or of the fea, by way of 
diftinguifhing it from a fpecies of Sturgeon fo named. It is com- 
mon in all the 4réic feas; and forms an article of commerce, being 
taken on account of its blubber. They are numerous in the gulph 
of St. Lawrence; and go with the tide as high as Quebec. There 
are fifheries for them, and the common Porpef, in that river, A 
confiderable quantity of oil is extracted ; and of their fkins is made 
a fort of Morocco leather, thin, yet ftrong enough to refift a mufquet- 
ballt. They are frequent in the Dwina and the Ody; and go in 
fmall families from five to ten, and advance pretty far up the rivers 
in purfuit of fifh. They are ufually caught in nets; but are fome- 
* Hift. Kamt/chatka, 136. 
+ Pallas, Itin. iii. 84. tab. iv. Crantz Greenl, is 1146 Purchas’s Pilgrims, iii. 549+ 
1 Charlevoix, v. 217. : 
times 
