GEN. ECHINORHINUS. SPINOUS SHARK. 317 



the flesh of it both fresh and dried, and twist its 

 rough skin into a kind of ropes. It is said to have 

 sometimes seized a canoe, covered w^ith the skin of 

 the seal (which was probably the attraction), in its 

 mouth from beneath, and, by closing its jaws, de- 

 stroyed both the canoe and its inmate. Its eyes 

 are often infested by a parasite, the Lernwa elon- 

 gata^ which has been described by Dr. Grant. 



Gen. CXV. Echinorhinus. — It will be seen by 

 consulting the characters, as given in the proper 

 place, that this genus is very distinct from others 

 of the family, and exhibits some curious modifica- 

 tions of structure. 



(Sp. 230.) E. spinosus. Spinous Shark. This fish 

 appears to be nowhere abundant, but it has been 

 long known to ichthyologists. Its addition to the 

 British Fauna is but of recent date. The first 

 notice we find of it is in the Proceedings of the 

 British Association at Newcastle in 1828, where 

 a description was given by Arthur Strickland, Esq. 

 of a specimen found on the Yorkshire coast. Since 

 that time four others have occurred, one in Filey 

 Bay, Yorkshire; another near the Land's End; a 

 third near Brixham ; and a fourth near Berry Head. 

 The figure we have given will convey a good idea 

 of its form and general appearance. It varies in 

 length from four to seven or eight feet, and also in 

 the proportionate thickness of dififerent parts of the 

 body, results which are no doubt to be ascribed to 

 difference of ag^e in the individuals described and 

 figured by authors. The most remarkable peculi- 



