THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 63 



gregates in very large shoals of from 60 to 100 and more 

 individuals, when they may be seen occasionally leaping out of the 

 water to a height of several feet. It is of a quiet, sluggish nature, 

 and is frequently observed lying motionless on the surface, with its 

 large dorsal fin projecting out of the water, and basking in the 

 warm rays of the sun, hence the names Basking Shark, Sun-fish, 

 Sail-fish, &c., by which it is known. 



Unlike the majority of sharks, it is quite harmless if not inter- 

 fered with, and will permit a boat to come almost in contact with 

 it without showing any alarm — in fact, it is recorded that one 

 specimen captured at the Isle of Wight actually made no resist- 

 ance to a rope being passed round its tail and being dragged 

 quietly along. 



It is, however, a very dangerous customer when attacked, and 

 great care must be taken to keep the boats out of reach of its 

 powerful tail, a blow from which would easily sink them. 



The only previous record of its occurrence in Victorian waters 

 is that given by Sir Frederick M'Coy in the Prodromus Zoology 

 Victoria, vol. ii., where he describes and figures a large specimen 

 measuring 31 feet 6 inches, which was captured in the fishermen's 

 nets at Portland in November, 1883. This specimen was 

 exhibited in the city for some days, but, being hot weather, it 

 was rendered useless for museum purposes. 



The only other record of its occurrence on the Australian coast 

 is that of a small specimen measuring only 9 feet long, which was 

 captured at Twofold Bay on the New South Wales coast last year, 

 and is included in the list of additions to the Australian Museum, 

 Sydney, for 1901, which were published in the Museum "Records," 

 vol. iv.. No. 6, issued in May last. 



About a year ago a fisherman from Queenscliff mentioned to me 

 that a large shark had been recently caught inside Port Phillip 

 Heads which was quite a stranger to the fishermen at Queenscliff, 

 and which he described as having a long, thick snout, terminating 

 in a hook. No attempt was, how;:*ver, made to preserve the 

 specimen. This was probably the same species as the present 

 one. 



The specimen recently captured differs considerably in general 

 appearance from the one figured in the " Prodromus," in that the 

 front of the head is considerably extended, and forms a thick, 

 fleshy, truncated snout, with the extremity produced into a curved, 

 fleshy hook, which altogether gives the fish a most extraordinary 

 appearance. This peculiarity, according to some earlier observers, 

 occurs only in the young specimens, and has led to the erroneous 

 opinion that several diff'erent genera and species of Basking Sharks 

 existed, an opinion which can hardly be wondered at considering 

 the greatly different appearance this gives to the fish. 



The gill-slits are also very much longer than those shown in the 



