- SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 303 



were from the (hark : the pilot fifli approached the poop of Interefting nar- 



the veffel, they examined it twice from one end to the other, J^^ ^ 



and being fatisfied that there was nothing there to anfwer their 



purpofe, they continued the courfe they had formerly held. 



During thefe different movements, the fhark never loft fight 



of them, or rather he followed them fo exactly, that it feemed 



as if he had been drawn along. 



As foon as they were difcovered, a failor immediately pre- 

 pared a large fifh hook, which he baited with pork ; but the 

 mark and his companions, by the time the fifher had got ready, 

 were at the diftance of 20 or 25 metres ; he neverthelefs 

 threw his bait into the fea. The noife occafioned by the fall 

 was heard at a diftance. The fifh wereaftonifhed and flopped 

 their courfe ; the pilots immediately turned, and prepared 

 again to examine the poop of the veffel. The fhark, during 

 their abfence, amufed himfelf in a thoufand different ways at 

 the furface of the water : he turned on his back, then on his 

 belly, dived into the fea, but always appeared again in the 

 fame place. The pilots having arrived at the poop of the 

 Alcefie, pa(Ted near the pork, and as foon as they perceived 

 it, they returned to the fhark with greater fwiftnefs than 

 when they left him. When they had reached him, he began 

 his courfe : the pilots fwimmingone on his right and the other 

 on his left, exerted themfelves to keep before him ; they with 

 difficulty did fo, and returned a fecond time to the poop of the 

 veffel ; the fhark followed them, and owing to the fagacity 

 of his companions, perceived trie prey that was deftined for 

 him. 



It has been faid that the fhark has a very powerful fmell * 

 I paid much attention to what paffed when he was near the 

 pork : it feemed to me that he did not perceive it till the very- 

 moment that his guides, as it were, pointed it out to him ; he 

 did not till then fwim with greater fwiftnefs, or rather make a 

 fpring to feize it. He firft feized a portion without being 

 hooked ; but at the fecond attempt the hook pierced the left 

 lip : he was hoifted on board. 



At the expiration of two hours, during which I was occu^ 

 pied in the anatomy of this fqualus, I began to regret that I 

 had not more nearly examined this fpecies, which fo willingly 

 confecrates itfelf to the fervice of the fhark : I was affured 



that 



