Atwood.] 



82 



found W4tli the young in some stage of development during the 

 whole season. 



The mature male weighs five or five and a half pounds, rarely as 

 much as six pounds, while the female attains the weight of eight or 

 eight and a half pounds. In spring they are poor, and their liver 

 is of a dark color and lean, but in autumn it is quite fat and large, 

 and the amount of oil does not increase proportionably with the 

 enlarged size of the liver, but rather decreases. In the Gadidse, 

 on the contrary, the liver when in poor condition affords no oil. 

 Fat is also found in the flesh of the Dog-fish which is sometimes 

 used for fuel, burning well, when dried, — as was proved by a sample 

 before the Society, — while the Goose-fish or Lophius, has little or no 

 fat either in the flesh or liver. The part remaining after the extrac- 

 tion of the oil from the liver is called "gurry" by the fishermen. 



In reply to a question by Dr. C. F. Winslow, Captain Atwood stated 

 that he did not know to what extent sharks possessed the sense of 

 smell; but they could distinguish between fresh and stale bait. The 

 blue-fish is an excellent bait for dog-fish when fresh, but when salted 

 or stale, is eaten by them but sparingly. 



Dr. Winslow said that some dissections he had made some years 

 since showed that the olfactory organs were well developed In sharks. 



Dr. Pickering asked how It was possible for the shark to capture a 

 sword-fish, which was a much swifter animal. Captain Atwood replied 

 that the mackerel was caught by the hake, a much slower fish. 



In reply to a question of Dr. J. B. S. Jackson about the thrasher 

 shark or swingle-tail recently exhibited in Boston, Captain Atwood 

 said that they were abundant at Provincetown, though not so common 

 as Lamna punctata. He also observed that he placed no confidence 

 whatever in the stories current of attacks on the wdiales by the 

 thrasher, believing them to be quite harmless, and unable to hurt a 

 dolphin, — the story very likely arose from some peculiar movements 

 made by the hump-backed whale. Sword-fish he believed might 

 attack a whale and kill him, from what he had seen of the force of 

 their thrusts Into the bottoms of vessels, though he has no evidence 

 that they ever do attack them ; he was not aware either, that the 

 thrasher ever uses his tail for ofiensive purposes. 



Mr. Andrew T. Hall alluding to the use of borax in driving 

 away insects, as referred to in the report of the last meeting, 

 stated that chloride of lime was an effectual agent in di'iving 

 rats from vessels overrun with them. 



Dr. J. C. White exhibited a piece of the organic tissue of 

 the elephant found imbedded in the ice at the River Lena, 



