Beyond the Horizon 



273 



approached the carcass and tore off piece after piece, 

 and even after being badly wounded by them it per- 

 sisted in returning to the repast. 



But — enough of the ill-reputed sharks. Now a few 

 words regarding one of a very different type. This is 

 the basking shark (Selache maxima), the largest of 

 them all — and, by the same token, it is the largest living 

 fish. It grows to a length of more than thirty feet. 

 The width of its mouth is extraordinary, thus giving it 

 an appearance of unusual ferocity. Yet, notwithstand- 



BASKING SHARK. 



ing its terrifying size and forbidding aspect, it is quite 

 innocuous. As a matter of fact, the creature is of a 

 very timid disposition, and will readily retreat if ap- 

 proached too closely. 



What is the reason for this remarkable behavior? 

 The answer lies in its teeth. For a shark, they are 

 amazingly small, and it is very probable that they serve 

 no purpose whatever. The fish and other creatures it 

 lives on are diminutive in size, and are such as would 

 cause a regular man-eater shark to turn up its snout, 

 so to speak. As large as is the mouth of this animal. 



