SPINOUS SHARK. 535 



which is taken from the drawing sent me by Mr. John Hey 

 of the Filey Bay specimen ; the second representing, on the 

 other side, a more bulky fish, is taken from Dr. A. Smith's 

 illustrations. The figures given by Lacepede and the Prince 

 of Musignano are rather long and slender, and were probably 

 taken from specimens of small comparative size ; the figure 

 sent me by Dr. Boase from a fish more than seven feet long, 

 and the drawing exhibited by Mr. Strickland at Newcastle, 

 more resembled the figure by Dr. Smith. Some specimens are 

 described as being intermediate, and all these differences in 

 the same species may be referred to age or sex, or both, a 

 young male and an old female presenting the greatest con- 

 trast. The decided similarity in the teeth, which are very 

 peculiar, and which only differ in size, with the particular 

 character of the skin and its spines, with their radiated bases, 

 leave no room to doubt that these various examples belong to 

 one and the same species. 



We become a little acquainted with some of the habits of 

 this Shark by noticing the circumstances under which it has 

 been captured. Of the first Cornish specimen, Dr. Boase 

 says, this Shark was caught on the 23rd of July, 1836, west 

 of the Long Slips, Land's End. Just before the moon set 

 the fishermen had been very successful, but all at once lost 

 their sport, or as they expressed it, " the Congers suddenly 

 sheered off to a man." When hooked, it was not more 

 troublesome than a Conger ; but when brought to the water's 

 edge, it gave battle, and was secured with great difficulty. 

 The first specimen noticed by the Rev. Robert Holdsworth 

 as caught in a trawl-net off Brixham, had a portion of a 

 Gurnard in its stomach. Of the third specimen, caught on 

 the southern coast, near Berry Head, Mr. Holdsworth says, 

 this Shark was taken near the bottom on a hook baited with 

 cuttle. The men were fishing for Conger Eel, and other 

 large fish, when this Shark was hooked. They describe his 



