46 GIANT FISHES 



recorded at a single birth. They seem to be born in shallow 

 water, where they remain for some time after the parents 

 have returned to the deeper water offshore. 



The flesh of the Tope is poor, but is eaten in parts of France 

 and elsewhere. The name " Sweet William ", sometimes 

 applied to the common species, seems to be an ironical one, 

 as both skin and flesh have a rank, offensive smell. The 

 skin, however, provides a good shagreen, and the liver yields a 

 coarse but valuable oil. In California the fins are much prized 

 by the Chinese for soup-making, and a set fetches from i to 

 2 dollars. 



Apart from its commercial value, the Tope is a favourite 

 with the angler, and the sport of Tope fishing has gained much 

 in popularity during the past twenty-five years. The bait is 

 usually a whole mackerel, as fresh as possible, and special 

 tackle is required. The record fish taken on rod and line 

 scaled 61 lb. 



Other vernacular names for the common species include 

 "Toper", " Whithound ", "Penny-dog", and, in Wales, 

 " Ciglas ", a word meaning literally Blue Dog. The French 

 call it " Chien de mer ", and the Italians, " Lamiola ". 



HAMMER-HEAD SHARKS. 

 (Family Sphyrnid^e ; Genus Sphynia.) PI. Va; Fig. 21. 



Very similar to the Requin Sharks (Carcharinidae), but 

 they may be readily distinguished by the curious shape of 

 the head, the sides of which are drawn out to a greater or 

 lesser extent into fleshy lobes, which are supported inside by 

 special outgrowths of the gristly skull. The eyes are situated 

 at the extremities ol the lobes. There are no spiracles. The 

 first dorsal fin is placed well in front of the pelvic fins. There 

 is a pit at the root of the caudal fin. The coloration is more 

 or less greyish above, becoming paler on the lower parts. 



These Sharks are found in most warm seas. Fossil teeth 

 have been found in rocks of the Miocene period and later. 



The largest species (Hammer-head) grows to a length of 

 15 feet or more and a weight of 1500 lb. The Bonnet Shark 

 is a smaller species, rarely exceeding a length of 5 feet. 



