OF THE SHARK TRIBE. 457 



In some rivers of Virginia, Sturgeons are found in such numoera, 

 that six hundred have been taken in two days, with no more trouble 

 than putting down a pole, with a hook at the end, to the bottom, and 

 drawing it up again, on feeling it rub against a fish. They are, how- 

 ever, chiefly killed in the night with harpoons, attracted by the light of 

 torches made of the wood of the black pine. On the shores ara 

 frequently seen the bodies of Sturgeons that have been wounded with 

 eiicars, and have afterwards died. 



The fecundity of these fish is exceedingly great. Catesby says, that 

 Uie females frequently contain a bushel of spawn each ; and Leeuwen- 

 hoek found in the roe of one of them no fewer than one hundred and 

 fifty billion eggs. 



OF THE SHARK TRIBE. 



The animals that compose this rapacious tribe, are entirely marine 

 and are more frequent in hot 

 than in temperate climates. 

 They are in general solitary, 

 and often wander to vast dis- 

 tances, devouring almost 

 everything that comes in 

 their way, which they are 

 able to swallow. Some of 

 them will follow vessels seve- 

 ral hundred leagues, for the 



carcasses and filth that are thrown overboard. The size to which 

 they grow is enormous, as they often weigh from one to four thous- 

 and pounds each. Some few species are gregarious, and live on 

 molluscse and other marine worms. They are all viviparous ; their off- 

 spring when first protruded, being enclosed (alive) in a square, pellucid, 

 horny case, terminated at the four corners by long, slender filaments, 

 which are generally found twisted round corallines, sea-weed, and 

 otlier fixed substances. 



Their flesh is altogether so tough, coarse, and of such a disagree- 

 able smell, that even the voung-ones are scarcely eatable. Th<!ir 

 bodies emit a phosphoric light in the dark. The skin is rough, and 

 is in general use tor polishing ivory, wood, and other substances, 

 thongs and carriage traces are also occasionally made of it. The liver 

 is generally found to yield a considerable quantity of oil There 

 are upwards of thirty species. 



THE WHITE SHARK. 



This dreadful species of Shark has six rows of teeth, hard, sharply 

 pointed, and of a wedge-like figure. These he has the power of erecting 

 and depressing at pleasure. When the animal is at rest, they are quite 

 flat in his mouth : but, when prey is to be seized, they are instantly 

 erected by a set of muscles that join them to the jaw. Thus, with open 



