A BARE CETACEAN. 
3 
eyes and thoughts were continually turning, we saw, 
more and more frequently, that little mimic ship, that 
sailors delight to call the Portuguese man-of-war 
{Physalisa pelagica), floating and tossing upon the 
waves. Some of these appeared to me unusually 
beautiful (though I have on former occasions seen 
them in great numbers, once, in the Gulf, being 
nearly a whole day traversing a fleet of them), the 
sail ” being of a rich rosy pink hue, and the bladder, 
or “ hull,” glittering in the sun with a glassy bril- 
liancy. 
An occurrence of much more zoological interest, 
however, the sight of a veiy rare, if not quite new. 
Cetacean, under circumstances peculiarly favourable 
to observation, demands a more protracted notice. 
Having been familiar with several species of Del- 
phinidcE in former Atlantic voyages, I had taken for 
granted that I should meet with some in this ; and 
wishing to settle the question whether any of the 
true Dolphins spout, I had studied the Order a little 
before sailing ; and, in particular, had made careful 
sketches of the form of the head in all the genera, 
that I might not depend on that treacherous guide, 
memory. 
November 22d, — Lat. at noon 19° P N., long. 
45° 42' W. ; the trade wind blowing a most exhila- 
rating breeze, with flue weather. Between three 
and four o’clock p.m., a herd of large Cetaceans ap- 
peared astern, trooping towards the ship. They 
soon came up and began to play around us, con- 
tinuing to romp and frolic, in the manner of Dol- 
