XII STORIES OF THE DOLPHIN 37 7 



pter\'goids are short, and there are thirty-two teeth in each half 

 of each jaw. 



Fercsia is known from two skulls which are provided with 

 ten to twelve teeth in each half of each jaw. It is intermediate 

 between Glolncepludus, Oruinpus, and Lagenorhynchus, according 

 to Sir W. Flower. 



The genus Belpldnus contains the Dolphin, D. deljjhis} The 

 genus may be characterised as follows : — Teeth small and 

 numerous, forty-seven to sixty-five. "\'ertebral formula C 7, 

 D 14 or 15, L 21 or 22, CaSO to 32. The atlas and axis are 

 fused, the rest free. The palatal border of the maxillae is 

 deeply grooved. The fins are falcate ; the beak long and distinct. 



The Common Dolphin of the Mediterranean shows so many 

 variations of colour, slight differences in the proportions of the 

 bones of the skull, and in the number of the teeth, that it has 

 been divided up into at least seventeen " species." But M. 

 Fischer, who has studied many of these forms, does not admit 

 them, and most students of this group of mammals follow him in 

 the inatter. The Dolphin is and has been the most familiar of 

 Cetaceans ; in consequence it has accumulated much anecdote of 

 a mythical character. The extreme intelligence and goodwill 

 towards man assigned to this creature by the ancients are possibly 

 due to the anomaly of a creature ostensibly a fish showing many 

 of the characters of higher animals. Its unfishlike intelligence 

 bajfled the early observers, who at once endowed it with especi- 

 ally advanced attributes. Hence the stories of Arion and others. 

 The leaping of the Dolphin out of the water is exemplified in 

 many Mediterranean coins and coats of arms ; the heraldic 

 dolphin is represented with an arched back as in leaping. The 

 Dolphin reaches a length of some 7 feet, and appears to be 

 world - wide in range. Possibly distinct is I), longiro&tris, 

 characterised, as the name denotes, by the very long beak ; it 

 has also more teeth and is a native of Malabar. D. roseiventris 

 again may be a third species of Delphinus. It comes from 

 Torres Straits, and has the under parts rosy in colour. 



The genus Frodelphimis has, like Dclpldnvs, a distinct beak ; 

 but it has not the grooved maxillaries. No other character of 

 importance appears to separate it from Delphinus. 



' See Actes Soc. Linn. Bordeaux, 1881; and for another figure, also coloured, 

 FIowo», in Trans. Zool. Soc. xi. 1880, pi. i. 



