i:i. UHINODONTID^:: 31 



numerous, conical, without cusps or serraturcs; no nictitating mem- 

 brane'; spiracles very small, above the corners of the mouth ; first dorsal 

 large, midway between pectorals and ventrals; second dorsal and anal 

 small; caudal lin lunate, the upper lobe considerably the larger; caudal 

 peduncle keeled; pectorals and ventrals large. A single genus, with 

 l)robably but one species; the largest of living sharks; inhabiting the 

 northern seas. (7ya7><»;V/rr, part, GiintherjViii, 394; genus Selache.) 



29.— €ETORBIIl\tJS Bluinvillc, 1810. 



BasJciny S harks. 



(Selache Cuvier. ) 



(Blainvillc, Bull. Soc. Pliiloiu. 1810, ]>. 169: type Ccto)-hinu!i f/iinHrri Blahw-.^^Squuhis 

 maximus L.) 



The characters of the genus ar(3 included above. (>;>}-"?, whale ; /<:'vr^, 

 a shark {Squatina)^ from /nvr^, a file or rasj), the rough skin of the shark 

 being used for polishing wood and marble.) 



39. C. niaxinillS (L.) Blaiuvillc — Hashing Shark. 



Body rugose, the skin very rough, with small spines; head small; 

 snout blunt; eyes small; teeth in six or seven rows in each jaw, about 

 200 in each row ; lirst dorsal large, triangular, over the space between 

 pectorals and ventrals ; second dorsal much smaller, rather larger than 

 anal ; tail large. Largest of the sharks, reaching a length of nearly 

 forty feet ; found in the Arctic seas ; straying southward to Portugal 

 and Virginia. 



{S<{iiabi.i inaxuiius L. Syst. Nat.: Sdnchiis mnximn-'i Storcr, Fish. Mass. 'i"2*J : Selache 

 maxima (iiiiitluT, %'iii, o94.) 



Family XIIL— RIIINODONTID^E. " 



{The Whale Charles.) 

 Origin of the first dorsal fin somewhat in advance of the ventrals; the 

 second small, opposite to the anal: both without s})ines ; a i)it at the 

 loot of the caudal, with the lower lobe of the caudal well develo})ed ; 

 sides of the tail with a keel ; no nictitating membrane; si)iracles very 

 small; mouth and no.stril near the extremity of the siioul ; teeth very 

 small and numerous, conical; gill-openings wide, the last one al)ove the 

 base of the pectorals. Large sharks, of Marm seas. Two species are 

 known, Rhi.odon ti/picuH from the Cape of (Jood Tlope. and the fojlow- 

 ing. {RhinoflontifUr (liinther, viii, '.VMi.) 



* Teeth each rccmvrd hackwavd and arnlcly pointed, swollen, ami willi a lieel-liko 

 proi(>ftif)n in front risiiijr from its base Micuistodus, SO. 



