REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 45 



3. Carcharhinus obscurus (Le Sueur). Dusky Shark; Shovel-nose. 

 Geog. Dist.: The middle Atlantic. 



Season ix R. I.: Very common from May to November in outside waters, 



and occasionally in Narragansett Bay. 

 Habitat: Surface of the open water. 

 Food: Fishes. Stomach contents have shown skates, squeteague, young 



mackerel, menhaden. 

 Size: Eight to 14 feet. 



4. Carcharhinus milberti (Miiller & Henle). Blue Shark. 

 Geog. Dlst. : Cape Cod to Florida. 



DeKay describes a specimen 7 feet, 4 inches long, weighing 160 pounds, 

 taken at Brenton's Reef September, 1842. (DeKay, Xew York Fauna, 

 Fishes, 1842, 354.) 



Food: Fishes. 



SPHYRXID.^. The Haiiinier-Headod Sharks. 



5. Sphyrna zygaena (Linnaeus) Hammer-head. 



Geog. Dist.: All warm seas. From Cape Cod and Pt. Conception south- 

 ward. 



Season IN R. I.: Xot common but occasionally occurring from June to Oc- 

 tober. In 1905 a specimen taken .August 2, and another reported about 

 two weeks later. 



Food: Fishes, especially menhaden; squids. 



Size: Average 4 feet, the largest reaching 7 and 8 feet; the smallest H feet. 



ALOPID.E. The Thre.sher Sharks. 



6. Alopias VUlpes (Gmelin). Swing-tail; Whip-tail: Thresher. 



Geog. Dist.: Abounds in all warm seas, especially in the Atlantic and 



Mediterranean. Frequent on Pacific coast. 

 Season in R. I.: Rare in Narragansett Bay, but the most common shark 



in outside waters, especially after the scup sea-son. It is a great nuisance 



to fishermen. 

 Food : Fishes, which the animal is said to kill by blows of its long flexible tail. 

 Size: Sometimes as large as 300 pounds. 



