166 FISHES. CHONDROPT. Mustelus, 



differences. Broiissonnet and Lacepede consider the S. stellare as the female, 

 an opinion probably correct ; but, as both species occur on the southern coast, 

 we may hope that some resident naturalist will favour us with a detailed de- 

 scription of their peculiarities. Mr Donovan adds, that the lesser spotted 

 dog-fish is often captured by the fishermen, in the net, while trawling for flat 

 fish. 



Gen. VII. MUSTELUS. Teeth blunt, and closely set. Dor- 

 sal-fins without spines. 



9. M. IcEvis. Smooth-hound. — Body greyish above, white 

 below, and destitute of spots. 



Galeus Mustelus, Sibb. Scot. 23 — Mustelus Ijevis, Will. Ich. 60.— S. 

 dentibus obtusis seu granulosis. Art. Ich. gen. 66. syn. 93 — S. Muste- 

 lus, Linn, Syst. i. 400. Penn. Brit. ^ool. iii. 116. Leach, Wern. Mem. 



ii. 63. — S, Murloch Found occasionally on all parts of the coast. 



Length about 6 feet. Nose blunt. The branchial apertures above a line 

 drawn between the corners of the mouth and the base of the pectorals. The 

 ])avement of teeth in the mouth (Ulce the skate), readily serves as the distin- 

 guishing mark of this species. It is ovoviviparous. In the Hebrides, it is 

 used as food, and esteemed a very delicate fish. St. Acct. vol. xii. 322. 



Gen. VIII. SPINAX. Dog-Fish.— Each dorsal-fin with a 

 free spine at its anteal margin. Teeth small, with a cut- 

 ting edge. 



10. S. Acanthias. Common Dog-fish. — Back greyish-brown, 

 belly white. Nostrils not terminal. 



Galeus acanthias, Sibb. Scot. Will. Ich. 56. — Squalus pinna anali nulla, 

 corpore subrotundo. Art. Ich. Decs. 102 — S. acanthias, Linn. Svst. i. 



397 Picked Dog-fish, Penn. Brit. Zool. iii. 100.— A-, Sea-dog ; iV,"Hoe. 



— Common, on the coast. 

 Length about 3 feet. The snout is long, but blunt. The nostrils are 

 placed about midway between the eyes and the end of the snout, A\'ith a ven- 

 tral aspect This common species is ovoviviparous. Its reproductive organs 



are described by Sir E. Home, Phil. Trans. 1810, p. 205. It abovnids, espe- 

 cially on the Scottish coast, and is often taken in the hen-ing-nets. Its flesh 

 is not unpalatable, and is frequently salted and dried, in the Northern Isles, 

 for winter food. A good deal of oil is annually obtained from tliis species, the 

 livers of 20 individuals yielding about a Scotch puit. 



Gen. IX. SCYMNUS.— Dorsal-fins without spines. 



U.S. borealis. Greenland Shark. — The first dorsal-fin larger 

 than the second ; more advanced than the ventrals. 



Squalus carcharias, Mull. Prod. Zool. Dan. 38. Fab. Fauna Gr. 1 27- Bloch, 



Ich. tab. 119. — S. borealis, Scoresbi/^s Arct. Reg. 558, tab. xv. f. 3. 4 



North of Scotland. 

 I^ength about 14, circumference 8 feet. Colour grey. Eye blue, pupil 

 emerald -gi-e en. Mouth wide. Teeth in the vipper jaw, broad at the base, sud- 

 denly becoming naiTow and lanceolate with the cutting-edges rough ; in the 

 lower jaw the teeth are pyramidal, compressed, the cutting-edges crenulated. 



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