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515 



BELUGA. 



Delphinus Leucas. D. rostro conico obtuso, deonum inclinato, 

 pinna dor sali nulla. Lin. Syst. Nat. Gmel. p. 232. Pall. it. 

 3./?. 84. ^. 4. 



White Dolphin, without dorsal fin. 



Delphinus pinna in dorso nulla. Briss. llegn. Amm.p. 374. n. 5. 

 Beluga. Stell. Camtsch. p. 106. 



This is a species which appears to have been 

 not very distinctly known till within a few years 

 past. It is a native of the northern seas, and, 

 like the Porpesse, sometimes enters into rivers. 

 It has been well described both by Fabricius and 

 Pallas. It is of a more elegant appearance than the 

 rest of this tribe, and when full grown is entirely 

 milk-white, in some specimens tinged very slightly 

 with rose-colour, and in others with blueish. 

 It measures from twelve to eighteen feet in length, 

 and sometimes even more, and preys upon' all 

 kinds of middle sized fish ; as herrings, cod, flat- 

 fish, &c. &c. It is a gregarious species, and is 

 often observed swimming in large shoals, the 

 young accompanying their parents, and the whole 

 forming a beautiful spectacle, from the unusual 

 colour. They are also sometimes observed to fol- 

 low boats for a considerable time together. The 

 head of this species is rather small than large ; and 

 is joined to the body by a kind of almost imper- 

 ceptible neck or contracted part : the spiracle is 

 situated on the top of the head, and is internally 

 double : the eyes are Very small, blueish, and the 

 opening of the mouth by no means wide: the 



