THE DOLPHINS. 



hairs. The body is thick, the dorsal fin 

 scarcely indicated, the tail fin large, but only 

 slightly hollowed out behind, the fore-limbs 



very long, and very narrow at the end. The 

 blow-hole is simple, and has the form of a 



horse -shoe with the convexity directed 



t'ig- 131.— The Fresh-water Dolphin [Platanista gangctica). 



towards the forehead. There are as many 

 as 70 short wrinkled teeth thickened at the 

 base. These dolphins, which are very 

 abundant in many localities, lead a very noisy 



life, and here and there are protected by a 

 number of prejudices and superstitious tales 

 against persecution by the Indians. They 

 attain, like the Platanista, a length of only 



Fig. 132. — Til* Inia or Amazon Dolphin (Inia amazonica). 



6y 2 feet. The back is bluish, the belly of a 

 rose-colour. 



The true Marine Dolphins {Delphinus) 

 approach this fresh-water genus in the horse- 

 shoe-shape of the blow -hole, and in the 



possession of a long beak with numerous 

 teeth. The Common Dolphin {Delphinus 

 delphis), fig. 133, which is found in the 

 ocean, in the Mediterranean, and the Red 

 Sea, is the best-known representative of the 



