OEDEE OF CETACBA. n 



enormous head, which the animal would have had such difficulty 

 m raising, which would have so much increased the weight of its 

 body and clogged its movements, becomes, in consequence of the 

 oil with ^ which it is filled, a sort of floating apparatus, of which 

 this marine creature can, with the slightest effort, project into the 

 air the blowing or spouting orifice placed on the summit of its 

 enormous head. 



In the second tribe of the order of the blowing or spouting 

 Cetaceans, we will mention the genera Dolphin, Porpoise, Narwhal, 

 and others. The common Dolphin* is more prettily shaped than 

 most of the other Cetaceans. It seems to be entirely composed of 

 elongated cones, almost equal, applied to each other by their bases. 

 The head forms the extremity of the anterior cone, and joins on 

 insensibly to the body. It terminates in a muzzle, very distinct 

 from the skull ; it is fiat from top to bottom, and rounded in its 

 contour. It has been compared to an enormous Swan's bill ; the 

 sailors often call its head the Sea-^jooac. The mouth is of a length 

 equal to an eighth of the total length of the animal. It is, for 

 the rest, well armed, as it contains on each side of its two jaws 

 from forty-two to forty-five teeth, sharp, conical and pointed, 

 which make from 168 to 180 teeth in all. 



The spiracles, or blow-holes, join together and form one single 

 opening, situated a little above the eyes. The ear is very well 

 organized ; and therefore the Doljihin can hear from a very long 

 waj^ ofi" the low groanings of its fellows. Its back is blackish, its 

 sides rather grey, its belly white. It has a dorsal fin, pointed, 

 and standing up on its back ; flij^pers, in shape like scythes ; the 

 caudal flukes, crescent- shaped, hollowed in the middle, and ending 

 each way in sharp horns or points. This fin, and the tail itself, 

 can be moved with so much the more vigour as the powerful 

 muscles which make it act are attached to the high protuberances 

 of the lumbar vertebrae. 



People have always had such a great idea of the strength of 

 the Dolphin, that, in the time of liondelet, it was said of those 

 who attempted to perform impossibilities, that they " wanted 



* It is proper to remark here that the Dolphins (Delpliiiiits) of naturalists must not 

 be confounded with the fish [Coryphmna) which is so styled by sailors, and which is 

 I'enowned for the brilliancy of its iridescent colour's. — Ei>. 



