PACKS OF DOG-FISH. 73 



and carnivorous fish should have but few young ones at 

 a time. Tlie obvious meaning of this arrangement, 

 which Nature has evidently inserted as a " protective 

 clause " in her bill for '' the due balancing of life among 

 sea-fish," is that the oppressors should not overbalance 

 the oppressed. We find the same arrangements among 

 land animals — carnivorous animals have few at a birth, 

 herbivorous animals have many. 



The name " dog-fish " is a happy one, for this class 

 of fish seem to have the habits in the sea somewhat 

 similar to dogs on land. Wild dogs on the sand deserts 

 of Africa hunt antelopes in packs; the ''sea-dogs" 

 hunt herrings, whiting, &c., on the submarine sand 

 deserts of the North Sea, also in packs ; and old 

 Neptune doubtless has fine sport — mackerel hunting on 

 the Warne Bank off Folkestone, w^ith his " spotted dog " 

 pack. Dogs on land have an acute sense of smell and 

 hearing ; look at the olfactory organs or dissect the ear 

 of the " sea dog," and you will find that he also would 

 be good at hitting off a scent, or hearing the noise of 

 *' priming herrings" from afar. Fox and greyhounds 

 have long tails, and they can turn quickly ; the sea 

 hounds have also long tails, and doubtless in the water 

 -would score points and " turn the hare " as well as the 

 best greyhound that ever ran at Hampton Court. 



In the case of the Kough Hound (Squahis catulus) the 

 young are not born alive ; the parent fish deposits an 

 egg, of which I have two specimens now before me, 

 thrown ashore near Heme Bay. They consist of a thick 

 horny substance, which when dry exactly resembles 

 amber. Each egg is fastened to the sea-weed by means 

 of two long string-like tendons. 



These curious strings exactly resemble the tendrils 

 of a vine, and it is a very curious circumstance that 



