DOLPHIN, Delphinus, a genus of cetacea, the type of a family, d,elphinidce, which is characterized by a moderate size of head—differing in this from the eatodontidm or phys etericke (see CAcsioLov)—and usually by having numerous simple and conical or nearly conical teeth in both jaws, although some of the species lose those of the upper jaw at an early age. The blow-hole is single. The family delphinidxe includes, along with the dolphins, porpoises, grampus, etc , many animals, which on account of their larger size are very commonly called whales, as the beluga or white whale, the caning whale, the bottlehead, etc. It contains also a few species, which inhabit, not the ocean, but trop ical and subtropical rivers, as the soosoo of the Ganges and the inia of the Amazon. The true dolphins have the snout prolonged into a rather slender beak, which is not only abruptly separated from the convex forehead, but even by a marked furrow. Both jaws are furnished with numerous equal teeth. The species are numerous, most of them recently discovered, and none of them apparently having the very wide geographical range form erly ascribed to the common D. (D. delphis), with which they were confounded. They are very voracious animals, and are said to prey not only on fishes, medusx, cephalopods, etc., but even on the wounded and feeble of their own species. They live, however, in herds, which often delight the voyager in the ocean solitude by the gambols which they perform around his ship. "They may be discerned at a great distance; as they are con tinually leaping from the surface of the sea, an action which, as it seems to have no obvious object, is probably the were exuberance of animal mirth. When a shoal is seen thus frolicking at the distance of a mile or two, in a few moments, having caught sight of the ship, down they come trooping with the velocity of the wind. When arrived, they display their agility in a thousand graceful motions, now leaping with curved bodies many feet into the air, then darting through a wave with incredible velocity, leaving a slender wake of whitening foam under the water; now the thin back-fin only is exposed, cutting the surface like a knife; then the broad and muscular tail is elevated as the animal plunges perpendicularly down into the depth, or dives beneath the keel to explore the opposite side.
The common D. is found in the Mediterranean and in the northern Atlantic ocean. It is usually not more than 6 or 8 ft. long, but individuals have been seen of 10 feet. The body tapers towards the tail. The tail is crescent-shaped, and about a foot in breadth. The beak is about 6 in. long. The blow-hole is crescent-shaped, with the horns directed backwards. The color is blackish on the back, grayish on the sides, and a satiny glis tening white beneath. The female D. brings forth a single young one at a time, which she suckles and nurses with great care. Although an inhabitant of the ocean, the D. emits a peculiar murmuring or suppressed lowing cry. The flesh of the D. was formerly considered a delicacy, and sailors still, regard the capture of one as a happy event.
From the form of its beak, the D. receives from the French the names of bee d'oie (goose-beak) and oz'e de mer (goose of the sea). It was very differently regarded and designated by the ancient Greeks: it was their hieros ichthys (sacred fish), was invested with many fabulous attributes, and was the subject of many mythological legends. It was supposed to be peculiarly friendly to men. It was sacred to Apollo, who was worshiped at Delphi with dolphins for his symbols: The figure of the D. appears on many ancient coins and medals: it is said to have been borne on the shield of Ulysses; it early appeared on the shield of some of the princes of France, and gave its name to one of the fairest of the French provinces, from which the heir-apparent of the French throne came to be styled the dauphin. It is not easy to account for the high regard in which the D. was apciently held; nor is it altogether easy to explain the very general transference of its name in modern times to the coryphene, a very dif ferent creature, remarkable for those changes of color in its dying moments which poets have delighted to celebrate.
Of the other species of D. one only occurs, and that but rarely, in the British seas, the bottle-nosed D. (D. tursio), which is said sometimes to attain a length of 24 feet. It appears to belong to the northern parts of the world.
Dolphins not unfrequently enter the mouths of rivers. A D. of the Arctic ocean (D. leucas) ascends into the fresh water of the Obi, to prey upon the ascending fishes of various kinds.