518 



SQUALID,*: 



CHONDROPTERYGH. 



SQUALID JE. 



THE BASKING SHARK. 



THE SUN-FISH, and SAIL-FISH. 



Selachns matimtis, Le Pelerin, CUVIER, Regne An. t. ii. p. 390. 



SljlittluS ,, LiNN/EUS 1 



,, ,, Basking Shark, PENN. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 134, pi. 16. 



,, ,, Common Snil-Jish, FLEM. Brit. An. p. 164, sp. 5. 



,, ,, Basking Shark, JENYNS, Man. Brit. Vert. p. 503, sp. 193. 



,, ,, NILSS. Prod. p. 114. 



SELACHUS. Generic Characters. Two dorsal fins, the first placed but little 

 behind the line of the pectorals, the second over the interval between the ven- 

 tral and anal fins. The skin rough. Snout short and blunt. Temporal orifices 

 very small. Teeth very small, numerous, conical, edges smooth, no lateral 

 denticles. Branchial openings large, nearly encircling the neck. 



THE BASKING SHARK, so called from its habit of remain- 

 ing occasionally at the surface of the water almost motionless, 

 as if enjoying the influence of the sun's rays, whence it is 

 also on some parts of the Irish and Welsh coasts called Sun- 

 fish, is one of the largest of the true fishes, and has been 

 known to measure thirty-six feet in length. It has been seen 

 generally from the month of June to the commencement of 



