302 CHONDROPTERYGII. SHARK FAMILY. 



I have seen examples of both species of three feet 

 and d half in length. They feed on almost any 

 animal substance, and extrude their purses or eggs 

 during the winter months. On dissecting a speci- 

 men in the month of September, I found two pursea 

 of large size, but the fo9tus was not in the slightest 

 developed. At one of the extremities of the horny 

 capsule were attached two strong, slender tendrils, 

 very much resembling that which is used by fisher- 

 men under the name of Indian weed." * 



(Sp. 219.) S. melanostomum. Black-mouthed 

 Dog-fish. This species constitutes the genus Pris- 

 tiurus of Miiller and Henle, a rank to wbicli they 

 have raised it chiefly on account of having a series 

 of pretty large scales arranged like the teeth of a 

 saw on the upper edge of the tail. Regarding this 

 character as of not more than specific value, we re- 

 tain the name assigned to it in Buonaparte's Fau'.i. 

 Ital. It was first ascertained to be a British fisli 

 by Mr. Couch, who transmitted a specimen to Mr. 

 Yarrell. The latter gentleman has since been in- 

 formed by John Malcolm, Esq. that this species is 

 not uncommon on the west coast of Scotland ; and 

 it has also been taken in the north of Ireland. The 

 snout is somewhat more elongated than in the other 

 two species ; the teeth smaller ; the colour light 

 brown on the back, each side with two rows of 

 ocellated spots, and other spots scattered irregularly. 

 The interior of the mouth is said by Buonaparie to 



* PameU's Fishes of the Firth of Forth, p. 412. 



