CHONDROPTERYGII BllANCHIlS FIXIS. 283 



contains mere amylaceous masses, and not stones. The pan- 

 creas resembles a conglomerated gland, and is not divided into 

 distinct tubes or caeca. The intestinal canal is short in propor- 

 tion, but a portion of it is provided internally with a spiral 

 lamina, which retards the expulsion of the aliment. 



Fecundation is performed by an intromission of semen ; the 

 females have highly organized oviducts, which supply the place 

 of a matrix in those whose young are hatched within their 

 body ; the others produce ova, invested with a hard or horny 

 shell, to the formation of which a large gland that surrounds 

 each oviduct contributes. The males are recognized by certain 

 appendages, situated on the internal edge of the ventrals, 

 which are very large, and highly complicated; and whose use 

 is not well understood. 



Squalus, Lin.(l) 



The Sharks form a first great genus distinguished by an elongated 

 body, a thick fleshy tail and moderate pectorals, so that the general 

 figure approaches that-of ordinary fishes; the branchial openings 

 correspond with the sides of the neck, and not with the under sur- 

 face of the body as we shall see is the case with the Rays; the eyes 

 also are on the sides of the head. The snout is supported by three 

 cartilaginous branches connected with the anterior part of the cra- 

 nium, and the rudiments of the maxillaries, intermaxillaries, and 

 premandibularies are evident in the skeleton. 



The shoulder bones are suspended in the muscles behind the 

 branchiae without articulating either with the cranium or spine. 

 Several are viviparous. The others produce ova invested with a 

 yellow and transparent horn, the angles of which are prolonged into 

 horny cords. The little branchial ribs are apparent, and there are 

 also small ones along the sides of the spine, which is completely di- 

 vided into vertebrae. The genus is very numerous and authorizes 

 various subdivisions. We first separate the 



ScYLLiuM, Cuv.(2) 

 Distinguished from other Squali by the short and obtuse snout. 



(1) Sqiialus, the Lathi name of a fish, employed by some authors; the species, 

 however, is unknown. Artedi applied it to this genus. We also find Squalus for 

 Squaiina. 



(2) ScylUum, one of the Greek names of this fish. 



