COMMON DOLPHIN 235 



Family DBLPHINIDiE. 



This family is the largest of the Order, and is charac- 

 terized chiefly by the large number of teeth in both jaws. 

 There are eleven genera: Grampus, Globicephalus Neo- 

 jjhoccena, Orcinus, Lagenorhynchus, Cephalorhynchus, 

 Dephinus, Tursiops, Prodelphinus, Steno and Sotalia. 



Of the above, the following are the best known : — 



Orcinus orca. Tlie Killer Whale. 



Of a black colour above and white below, and with a 

 stripe over the eye. Dorsal fin large and pointed, and 

 pectoral fin broad and short. Length, 19 or 20 feet. 

 This is a fairly cosmopolitan species, and is of a rapacious 

 nature, devouring seals, porpoises, young whales, &c., 

 being the only Whale or member of the Cetacea which 

 preys upon other warm-blooded animals, although it also 

 devours fish. 



Delphinus delphis. Comvion Dolphin. 



Slate-colour above, grey below, a yellowish grey stripe 

 from behind the eye to the level of the dorsal fin. An 

 elongated, beak-like snout. Total length, 7 to 8 feet. 

 This animal is pretty generally distributed throughout 

 the warmer seas, and associates in herds or shoals of 

 from six individuals upwards. They are playful, energetic 

 animals, rising to the surface of the sea every now and 

 then, playing and gambolling round ships, &c. Only a 

 single young one is born at a time. 



The members of the other genera are rare. 



