SHARKS 13 



their attached hair " snoods ", the fish having passed along 

 the fisherman's line and removed the catch by biting through 

 the snoods. In Alaska its ravages among the salmon have 

 earned for it the name of " Salmon Shark " 



Porbeagles and Makos are usually observed in small 

 companies, although they can scarcely be called gregarious , 

 sometimes a single shark will pursue its prey alone. The 

 teeth are not adapted so much for cutting as for seizing the 

 prey, which seems to be swallowed whole — a tribute to the 

 digestive powers of this shark ! The Mako is said to be a lover 

 of the open sea, where it dashes madly after its foou, and does 

 not hesitate to attack boats, in the woodwork of which it 

 not infrequently leaves some of its teeth. Most of the species 

 are savage and dangerous to man, although the Porbeagles 

 found close inshore in our own seas are mostly too small to 

 cause much damage. Mr. Couch once wrote : " I have been 

 informed of an instance, where in the prospect of being taken, 

 it sprang at a fisherman and tore a piece out of his clothing." 



Little is known as to the exact breeding season of these 

 sharks, but it has been ascertained that from 2 to 5 young are 

 produced at a single birth. 



The Porbeagles are of no great economic importance. They 

 are not normally used for food, although the flesh was at one 

 time esteemed in some parts of France. One observer even 

 describes the Common Porbeagle as emitting " an extremely 

 disagreeable fetid smell ", and the ultimate fate of individuals 

 captured by fishermen, if they are not killed and thrown back 

 into the sea, is to be used as manure. In some parts of the 

 world the oil from the liver used to be prized by curriers, but 

 this minor industry has long since died out. It is of interest 

 to note, however, that the liver of a 9-foot shark yielded as 

 much as 11 gallons of oil. The Maoris of New Zealand use 

 the teeth of the Mako Shark as articles of adornment. 



At least two members of this genus provide good sport for 

 the sea angler. The Common Porbeagle is taken on rod and 

 line on the west coast of Ireland, and to play a large shark 

 from a small boat is no mean test of the angler's strength and 

 skill. In the fish gallery at the British Museum there is a 

 plaster cast of a fine specimen of 210 lb., which was taken in 

 this manner by the Marquis of Sligo in 1932 off Achill Island. 



