STUDIES IX AUSTRALIAN SHARKS — WATTE. 33 



young alive, and that in November last he removed twenty-three 

 young ones from a single female. Some of these, when placed in 

 water, swam about quite vigorously, and were evidently within a 

 few days of being born. Others were thrown on to the beach, 

 and though this took place in the morning, at night they were 

 found to be still alive. 



In response to a circular forwarded by Mr. Brodie to all his 

 officers, I liave had numerous reports, all agreeing as to the ovo- 

 viviparous habit of the Wobbegong. 



In the letter above mentioned. Prof. Haswell also writes: — "I 

 was much interested to hear of your discovery with regard to 

 Ilemiscyllium ; it constitutes another link between it and Crossor- 

 hinus, to which, rather than to the Scyllidte, some of the features 

 of the skull, etc , seem to connect it. It has been known to me 

 for a good many years that Crossorhinus i.s viviparous, but I do 

 not know that the fact has been published. Other viviparous forms 

 in our loc.-il fauna are: Urolophus, Trygon, Myliohatis, Hyptios, 

 Trygonorlnna, Rhinohatus, Pristiophorus." 



Squalus megalops, Macleay. 



Acanthias megalops, Macl., Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., vi., 1881 

 (1882), p. 367. 



(Plate iv., fig. 2). 



By purchase, the Trustees recently obtained two examples of 

 this species. They were caught by a fisherman on August 24th, 

 1900, at Neverfail, between Port Jackson and Broken Bay, in 

 sixty fathoms. Both are females in full breeding condition. 

 They measure respectively 56.5 mm. and 515 mm. in total length, 

 and the smaller example, in addition to five or six large eggs, 

 contained a young one almost ready for birth. It is this foetus 

 which I have figured on the accompanying plate, of which more 

 below. 



Looking first to the adults, the validity of the species claims 

 some attention. It is one of three recorded from Australian 

 waters, the other two being S. acanthias, Linn., widely distributed 

 in the Atlantic and identified by McCoy in Victoria, and .S^. blain- 

 villii, Risso, recorded by Giinther and Ogilby from Australia. 

 Giinther mentions that Acanthias blainviUii is scarcely distinct 

 from A. vulgaris^ (S. acanthias), vvhile Ogilby considers that 

 "eventually it is probable that the three will have to be joined 

 together under a common name."' 



The differences between S. acanthias and S. megalops are 

 certainly not many, but the most noticeable one, namely, the 



4 Giintber-Bi-it. Mas , Cat. Fishes, viii., 1870, p. 419. 



5 Ogilby— rroc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., (2), iii., 1888, p. 1096, and iv., 1889, p. 

 1 5. 



