FISH AND FISHERIES. 97 



Tlie Australian forms are small and harmless, as all its representatives 

 were. Their teeth are only formed for ci-ushing shells. Although, as 

 Mr. Hill observes, "at is armed at the front of each dorsal fin with a 

 strong pointed spine ; the head is bony and hard, and the mouth is filled 

 with a pavement of crushing teeth, curiously formed, and it seeks its 

 food either amongst the crevices of rocks or on the ground, foraging 

 about for shell-fish, cockles, crabs, and other crustacece, and at times will 

 examine the edges of rocks just above watei--mark in search of shell-fish, 

 Avhich its powerful jaws and teeth or plates are admirably adapted for 

 crushing. 



" It was supposed that Port Jackson alone had this shark, and it is 

 the living representative of fish which once populated the Northern 

 Seas, wherein the fossil remains are found in multitudes. It has since 

 been found in many of the coast bays of Australia, and there are two 

 distinct species — the one is much darker than the other in colour. 



"I had occasion to catch it, and tried Long Bay and Botany Bay for 

 that purpose, and was successful at both places. At Jervis Bay also I 

 succeeded in shooting one in the head whilst in the position of searching 

 the rocks with its head out of the water. They are also frequently 

 hauled in with the net, and caught also with the hook and line, but are 

 of no use, and only interesting from the fact that they are said to be the 

 living representatives of what are found in fossil remains. 



" This was one of the early sharks caught in this harbour, and figured 

 in Governor Phillip's time." — E.S.H. 



The Shovel-nosed Shark. 



Rhinohatus granulatus or shovel-nose which is properly speaking 

 a Bay, is called liei-e the blind or sand shark, though, as Mr. Hill 

 remarks, it is not blind. He says " that it attains the length of 6 

 to 7 feet, and is also harmless, armed only with teeth resembling 

 small white beads secured closely upon a card ; it however can see 

 tolerably well, and searches on sandy patches for Crustacea', and small 

 shell-fish. It is much more active than the preceding shark, and can 

 swim about rapidly, but it chiefly keeps on the bottom, and usually 

 in company on particular grounds with Cestracion, and distinguished by 

 the aboriginals from other sharks by the appellation of eragoni — without 

 the teeth. It is occasionally brought in with the net of a night, but 

 more frequently with hook and line." 



The Hammer-headed Shark. 



None of the Hammer-headed Sharks of Port Jackson are of small size, 

 but one specimen in the Brisbane Museum measures over 15 feet in 

 length. It difiers from other sharks in the shape of the head, which in 

 some degi'ee resembles a hammer. The orbits of the eyes project to a 

 distance from each side of the skull, and are placed on either end of the 

 hammer, giving to the fish a very odd appearance. It is anned with 

 sharp teeth, and roves about at night near to the surface of the water, 

 and when hooked it pulls hard and sheers about, no doxibt to endeavour 

 to cut the line. 



