LECTURE IV. 149 



of Ambergris, the horny beaks of these Cuttle- 

 Fish are generally found imbedded. 



The genus Delphimis or Dolphin is charac- 

 terized by having numerous teeth in both jaws. 

 These animals constitute the smallest of the Whale 

 tribe ; the common Dolphin rarely exceeding the 

 length of eight or ten ieet. Its shape is length- 

 ened or iish-form, with a plump or thick body, 

 slightly sharpened snout, and a thick pointed fin 

 towards the middle of the back. Its colour, like 

 raiost others of the tribe, is dark blueish or brown- 

 ish-black above, and white beneath : this animal 

 was well known to the ancients, who celebrated it 

 for a supposed affection to the human race, and 

 regarded its appearance at sea as a prosperous 

 omen. Modern seamen are of a different opinion, 

 and consider its appearance rather as a prelude to 

 an approaching storm. The Dolphin swims very 

 swiftly, and preys on various kinds of fish ; and 

 it is observed by the accurate Otto Fabricius, 

 in his work entitled Fauna Greenlandica, that in 

 swimming it constantly assumes a curved posture, 

 depressing very considerably both head and tail 

 during that action; and thus justifying in some 

 degree the observations of the ancients, who ap- 



