ll
about it by and by.

I was born deep down in the Mediterranean Sea. That long name is no
stranger. You have seen it many a time in your geographies. But could
you tell the meaning of it, I wonder? _I_ can! It means "Midland Sea,"
and is so named from being so near the middle of the earth.

If the Mediterranean Sea should be pulled up and away, together with the
space it occupies, my! what a hole there would be in the big round
earth!

Nowadays, even the little Folks hear a great deal about Europe. Some of
the family have very likely been there. Perhaps even small John or
Elizabeth have themselves crossed the great ocean, sailing on a fine
steamer to the coast of England or Ireland.

Oho! if you had fins and could spread them like sails, and cut through
the water like a flash, you would have a very different idea of the word
"distance" from what you have now.

I know "Folks" do not think it very nice to talk much about one's self,
but if there is no one else to introduce you, and it is necessary that
those with whom you are talking should know the truth about you, it can
be plainly seen that the only thing to do is to tell the personal story
as modestly and as truthfully as possible.

When first I saw the light, deep down in the sea, I was quite a little
fellow, and had a mother that took splendid care of me. She never had
but one child at a time, and that one she watched over and tended with
much affection until it was fully able to take care of itself.

My name is Dolphin, and the Dolphin family is a large one. One branch is
of a very peculiar shape, and has a long and pointed nose or beak from
which it is called the "Sea Goose," or the "Goose of the Sea." I belong
to that branch, but as to being a goose, allow me to say I never was one
and never shall be, not really and truly.

My head is round, and so large that it forms almost a third of my whole
body. Many Folks travelling by water have seen Dolphins, as once in
awhile we are obliged to toss our heads up out of the water in order to
breathe, as we have lungs. Yet it is not necessary for us to breathe as
Folks do, and we can blow out water in an upward stream from little
holes that are over our eyes.

My colors are fine, dark, almost black on my back, gray at the sides,
white and shiny as satin underneath.

There are strange things about a Dolphin. One is that when one is about
to die, the colors are very beautiful. In growing faint-tinted where
once