ORDER CETACEA. 455 



great number of different species of fish, which they seize 

 with astonishing promptitude and address. 



Notwithstanding the quickness with which they disap- 

 pear under the water, numbers of them fall victims to the 

 murderous skill of fishermen. They have another enemy to 

 fear not less redoubtable, one of their own order, Physeter 

 Mycrops, which pursues them with indefatigable perseve- 

 rance, and devours them with amazing rapacity. 



There are two varieties of the Delphinus Orca, the Ore 

 and the Grampus (Delphinus Gladiator). The first is an 

 animal of considerable power, though the tyranny which it 

 exercises in the empire of the waters, has been much ex- 

 aggerated by the genius of fiction. 



The audacity of these animals is excessive when assem- 

 bled in troops. These bands are so bold and ferocious, that 

 though the isolated individuals never prey except on such 

 fishes as the pleuronectes, fyc, thus mustered they will ven- 

 ture to attack the largest Cetacea. They fall upon the Great 

 Whale with such fury, and reiterate their attacks with such 

 agility and address, that the surface of the sea is quickly 

 covered with blood, flowing in torrents from the wounds they 

 have inflicted on their gigantic enemy. He vexed, tor- 

 mented, and assailed on all sides by such numbers, has no 

 chance of escaping death, but by a flight so precipitate, 

 that he is generally driven on the shore, where he is likely 

 to encounter inevitable death from the harpoon of the 

 fisherman. 



The Ore is about eighteen or twenty feet long, and fifteen 

 in circumference in the widest part of the body : the tail is 

 elongated, the cranium not very convex, and the muzzle 

 short and rounded ; the pectoral fins which are formidable 

 weapons, are broad and oval, and the general colour is 

 black, brown, and white, in the under parts. 



There is much affinity between the Delphinus Gladiator 

 and the last. The colours are similar, and the head is very 



