96 The Animal-Lore of Shahspeare s Time. 
their strong likeness. Sir Richard Hawkins, in his 
account of a voyage to the South Sea, writes:— 
“ Ordinarily such ships as navigate between the tropickes are 
accompanied with three sorts of fish: the dolphin, which the Spaniards 
call dozado; the bonito, or Spanish mackerill: and the sharke, alias 
tiberune. The dolphin I hold to be one of the swiftest fishes in the 
sea. He is like unto a breame, but that he is longer and thinner, and 
his scales very small. Hee is of the colour of the rain-bow, and his 
head different to other fishes; for, from his mouth halfe a span it goeth 
straite upright, as the head of a wherry, or the cut-water of a ship. 
He is very good meate if he be in season, but the best part of him is 
his head, which is great. They are some bigger, some lesser; the 
greatest that I have seene might be some foure foot long.” ( Purchas , 
vol. iv. p. 1330.) 
In the city pageants a dolphin was a common device. 
It was sometimes crowned, and then represented the arms 
of the Fishmongers’ Company. In allusion to the classical 
myth, Arion, the lyric poet of Lesbos, was often depicted 
seated on the dolphin’s back. Ben Jonson refers twice 
to this device:— 
“ Another Orpheus, you slave, another Orpheus ! An Arion riding 
on the back of a dolphin.” (The Poetaster , iv. 1.) 
“ Give him allowance, 
And that but a moderate, he will make a syren 
Sing in the kettle, send in an Arion 
In a brave broth, and of a watery green, 
Just the sea-colour, mounted on the back 
Of a grown conger, but in such a posture 
As all the world would take him for a dolphin.” 
( The Staple of News, iii. 2.) 
Shakspeare possibly refers to one of these city shows :— 
“ My gentle Puck, come hither. Thou rememberest 
Since once I sat upon a promontory, 
And heard a mermaid on a dolphin’s back 
Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath 
