134 
NEW-YORK FAUNA. 
directed forward. Dorsal eminence broad, triangular, and nearly in the centre of the body. 
Swimming paws placed very low down, moderate, oval and obtusely pointed. Tail lunated. 
Color. Dusky bluish black above ; whitish beneath, the two colors meeting on the sides. 
Swimming paws of the color above. 
Length four to five feet. 
The Porpoise, or Porpess, is common in our rivers and bays, chiefly in the spring and sum¬ 
mer months, when they appear in the train of the migratory Clupidce, among which they 
make great havoc. This species has been confounded with another cetaceous animal of the 
same name, which is very rarely seen unless in the ocean off soundings. We allude to the 
Delphinus delphis, or Sea porpess, the Dolphin of the ancients. The common porpoises 
were formerly so abundant on the shores of Long Island, as to have induced the inhabitants 
to form establishments for their capture. In the Transactions of the Society in the State of 
New-York for the promotion of Agriculture, Arts and Manufactures, 4to. N. Y. 1792, will be 
found a paper by E. L’Hommedieu, on the manner of taking porpoises at the east end of 
Long Island. A seine is prepared about five hundred feet long, with cords about the size of 
ratlin stuff; the meshes are about nine inches square, and the seine from twenty to thirty feet 
deep. Tight casks of the size of ten gallon kegs, are used as buoys. The seine is then set 
parallel with the shore, at the distance of eighty rods, and secured by anchors at each end. 
Two other seines are made of large codline, with the meshes six inches square. These are 
put in separate boats on the shore, opposite each end of the larger seine. Porpoises go in 
scholes, and in following the small fish, come between the shore and the great seine. As soon 
as they reach the middle of the seine, the boat at the far end heads them off, throwing out 
the light seine from the shore to the end of the great seine, to which it is fastened; when 
both are thus fastened, and the anchors raised, the porpoises are imprisoned. Opposite the 
great seine, and parallel with it, on the shore, stout stakes are driven in about three rods apart, 
and a capstan placed at each. The small seines are drawn in, and the boats are sent outside. 
As soon as the porpoises find themselves confined, and the water becomes shoal, they throw 
themselves against the bag of the seine with so much force, that it is necessary to ease the 
capstan to prevent the ropes parting. As soon as this is over, they do not make a second 
attempt, but become so gentle that the men wade in among them, and put a slip-noose over 
their tails, or secure them with harpoons, and drag them ashore : there they are all speedily 
despatched. The blubber, for which they are principally sought, varies from one to two 
indies in thickness, and yields upon an average six gallons of oil per porpoise. The blubber 
is cut through on the back and belly, and is peeled off in halves; it is then scraped off with 
an instrument resembling a currier’s knife, and the skin sent to the tanner. The leather 
made from this skin is said to be the strongest known, and is used more particularly for the 
upper leather of boots and shoes. 
The word porpoise, or porpesse, comes to us from the Latin through the French, Porc- 
poisson. Grampus has a similar origin. 
