NATURAL HISTORY 
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DOLPHIN. 
The Dolphin is a large fish, not much 
unlike the porpoise. It swims with two 
strong fins, which, like the arm of a man, 
are joined to the shoulder-blades ; and is of 
that swiftness, that it will overtake a ship in 
full sail before the wind. Its length seldom 
exceeds five feet ; the body is of a roundish 
form, gradually lessening towards the tail; 
the skin is smooth, and the nose long and 
pointed ; the back is of a dusky blue or black 
colour, and the belly white. It has no gills, 
but spouts water and respires through a pipe, 
on the upper part of the head, of a semi-cir- 
cular form. It produces its young from seed, 
perfect, one at a time, and sometimes two; 
and lives about twenty-five or thirty years. 
