86 SQUALID^. 



truded eyes ; which often look as if they had been partly forced out of their 

 sockets. The hinder margin of the side lobes of the head are quite thin and 

 membranous. Along the front margin, from the nostrils for some distance in- 

 wards, runs a curious deep narrow groove or channel. The whole surface of the 

 head, above and beneath, is sprinkled with mucous pores, emitting, when pressed, 

 a clear transparent jelly, and arranged in regular groups or figures. 



The mouth is placed quite underneath, just at the junction of the head and 

 body : it is considerably arched, but rather naiTOwer than usual ; so that the gape 

 is small. It is, however, formidably armed, even in individuals of two feet long, 

 Avith three rows in each jaw of large triangular sharp teeth * bent backwards to- 

 wards the corners of the mouth : those of the upper jaw are larger than in the 

 lower. The tongue is large, broad, fleshy, and resembling the human ; it is 

 white, like the whole inside of the mouth, and slightly rough towards the middle. 



The branchial openings are five in number, short, and altogether placed above 

 the level of the fore-axil of the pectoral fins : the last falling also behind a vertical 

 line through the same. There is no trace of spiracles. 



The pectoral fins are rather small, short, and triangular ; they are placed at 

 about one third the distance from the tip of the muzzle to the base of the 

 caudal fin. 



The first dorsal fin is placed a little before the middle of the same distance, be- 

 ginning just behind the base of the pectoral fins. It is remarkably large, both 

 high and broad, triangular ; its tip obtuse, its hinder end short but pointed. 



The second dorsal fin is far behind, nearly at the root of the tail. It is rather 

 small, subquadrangular, with the hind end produced into a lengthened acuminate 

 point. 



The ventral fins are opposite the halfway point between the first and second 

 dorsal fins. They are trapeziform, and of moderate size. 



The anal fin corresponds in shape and position with the second dorsal ; it is 

 only a little larger. 



Tail very large and powerful, with a deep forked or >. -like cut or impression 

 above at its junction with the dorsal line of the body, and a faint dimple below 

 at the root of its lower lobe. The upper fork is nearly half the length of the 

 head and body together, and has the hinder margin near its tip abruptly pro- 

 duced into a lobe. The lower fork is short, only one third the length of the 

 upper, simple, acute. Both forks spring from the body at an angle little less 

 than forty -five degrees, as usual in the true Sharks, instead of falling, as erro- 

 neously represented in the figures, into the same line with it. 



The skin of this Shark, though rough, is of a much finer grain than usual, and 

 has a peculiar glossiness or silkiness of lustre quite characteristic. 



Colour dull slate, inclining to brown in large examples ; darker above, paler on 

 the sides : the belly white. The under side of the head is bluish white ; the 

 iris beneath the same ; above dusky or blackish. The pupil is inky-black : the 

 very distinct nictitating membrane pale brown or ash, and finely scabrous like the 

 skin. The whole cornea of the eye is very hard and bony. 



Fins dusky ; the first and second dorsal, with the upper side of the pectoral 

 fins, dark ; the under side of the latter, with the ventral fins^ pale. 



The accompanying figure was taken from a female individual which 

 measured two feet two inches and a half from the tip of the muzzle to that 

 of the tail ; the upper fork of which was eight inches long. The width of 

 the head in a straight line from eye to eye was seven inches and a half. 



* — " With smootli cutting edges when the Shark is young, but serrated afterwards." — Yarr. 

 Suppl. 2. p. 63. 



