166 FISHES. CHONDROPT. Mustelus. 



differences. Broussonnet and Lacepede consider the S. stellare as the female, 

 an opinion probably correct ; but, as both species occur on the southern coast, 

 ive may hope that some resident naturalist will favour us with a detailed de- 

 scription of their peculiarities. Mr Donovan adds, that the lesser spotted 

 dog-fish is often captured by the fishermen, in the net, while trawling for flat 

 fish. 



Gen. VII. MUSTELUS. Teeth blunt, and closely set. Dor- 

 sal-fins without spines. 



9- M. Icev'is. Smooth-hound. — Body greyish above, white 



below, and destitute of spots. 



Galeus Mustelus, Sibb. Scot. 23 — Mustelus laevis, Will. Ich. 60.— S. 

 dentibus obtusis seu granulosis, Art. Ich. gen. 66. syn. 93 — S. Muste- 

 lus, Linn. Syst. i. 400. Penn. Brit. Zool. iii. 116. Leach, Wern. Mem, 

 ii. 63. — S, Murloch — Found occasionally on all parts of the coast. 



Length about G feet. Nose blunt. The branchial apertures above a line 

 drawn between the corners of the mouth and the base of the pectorals. The 

 pavement of teeth in the mouth (like the skate), readily serves as the distin- 

 guishing mark of this species. It is ovoviviparous. In the Hebrides, it is 

 used as food, and esteemed a very delicate fish. St. Acct. vol. xii. 322. 



Gen. VIII. SPINAX. Dog-Fish.— Each dorsal-fin with a 

 free spine at its anteal margin. Teeth small, with a cut- 

 ting edge. 



10. S. Acanthias. Common Dog-fish. — Back greyish-brown, 

 belly white. Nostrils not terminal. 



Galeus acanthias, Sibb. Scot. Will. Ich. 56. — Squalus pinna anali nulla, 

 corpore subrotundo. Art. Ich. Decs. 102 — S. acanthias, Linn. Syst. i. 



397 Picked Dog-fish, Penn. Brit- Zool. iii. 100.— #, Sea-dog ; N, Hoe. 



— Common, on the coast. 



Length about 3 feet. The snout is long, but blunt. The nostrils are 

 placed about midway between the eyes and the end of the snout, with a ven- 

 tral aspect.— This common species is ovoviviparous. I ts reproductive organs 

 are described by Sir E. Home, Phil. Trans. 1810, p. 205. It abounds, espe- 

 cially on the Scottish coast, and is often taken in the herring-nets. Its flesh 

 is not unpalatable, and is frequently salted and dried, in the Northern Isles, 

 for winter food. A good deal of oil is annually obtained from this species, the 

 livers of 20 individuals yielding about a Scotch pint. 



Gen. IX. SCYMNUS.— Dorsal-fins without spines. 



U.S. borcalis. Greenland Shark. — The first dorsal-fin larger 



than the second; more advanced than the ventrals. 



Squalus carcharias, Mull. Prod. Zool. Dan. 38. Fab. Fauna Gr. 1 27- Block, 



Ich. tab. 119. — S. borealis, Scoresby's Arct. lteg. 558, tab. xv. f. 3. 4 



North of Scotland. 



Length about 14, circumference 8 feet. Colour grey. Eve blue, pupil 

 emerald-green. Mouth wide. Teeth in the upper jaw, broad at the base, sud- 

 denly becoming narrow and lanceolate with the cutting-edges rough ; in the 

 lower jaw the teeth are pyramidal, compressed, the cutting-edges cremdated, 



