THE SHARK'S TEETH 



These teeth are strong and solid; they are made of 

 ivory covered with a strong, glistening enamel. But 

 the base of them simply rests upon the jaw-bone, 

 without fitting into a socket, so that it is not so firmly 

 implanted. And even if there were sockets, they 

 would not furnish any particular added strength be- 



FlG. 



[9. — Jaw-bones of a large shark. The scale is indicated by the 

 bust of a sailor drawn within them. 



cause, since the skeleton is made of cartilage, its 

 hardness would not be so great as that of the teeth. 

 In naturalists' shops sharks' jaws are often to be seen 

 with the teeth attached, and the difference between 

 the strength of tjie teeth and the weakness of their 

 support is always strikingly evident. We are inevitably 

 reminded of the idol with feet of clay; there is a limit 

 to the creature's capabilities. 

 in 



