[Illustration: DOLPHIN.]
These animals are easily distinguished from the others of the Whale
family by their arched forehead, the beak-like jaws, and the beauty and
elegance of their movements in the water. For many ages the Dolphin has
been noted for its intelligence and docility, its affectionate
disposition being quite as noticeable among the water animals, as that
of the Dog or the Elephant among quadrupeds.
They usually swim in companies, leaping and tumbling over one another
with amusing playfulness. They live principally upon Fishes, which, from
the swiftness of their movements, they have no difficulty in catching.
People have always had a great idea of the strength of the Dolphin, and
at one time it was said of those who attempted to perform
impossibilities, that they “wanted to tie a Dolphin by the tail.” It is
principally with the assistance of this powerful tail that the Dolphin
swims with such rapidity, and that it has gained for itself the title of
“Sea-arrow.”
When the Dolphins—which go in numerous troops and in certain order—meet
a ship, they follow it, so as to catch the Fish which the refuse thrown
from the ship attracts in quantities. At whatever speed the ship may be,
either sailing or steaming, they keep up with it, and play about among
the waves, bounding, turning over and over, and never tiring of frisking
and tumbling, affording continual amusement to the crew.
Many authors have said that the Dolphin leaps high enough above the
surface of the water to jump on board small vessels. They say that in
this case the animal curves its body round with force, bends its tail
like a bow, and then unbends it, in such a manner as to fly like the
arrow from a bow.
When they saw these animals following their ships, the sailors imagined
that they were accompanying them from an instinct of sociability. They
have even gone so far as to say that these animals have a sort of
affection for seamen, as well as for each other.