78 COPEIA 



Ground Sharks (Carcharhinus). 



These sharks are better food than ; is generally believed. 

 The U. S. Bureau of Fisheries in Washington has recently been 

 interested in introducing their hides to the market for use as 

 leather, and can furnish interesting information on that subject. 



In Bermuda, a hash is made from small ground sharks 

 which is much appreciated by all classes. After the head, vis- 

 cera, and fins have been removed, the shark is cut into chunks 

 and boiled. Then, the water is drained off, the skin and bones 

 removed, and the meat squeezed into a fine hash. The liver is 

 boiled separately to obtain the oil. Chopped parsley, sage, and 

 thyme are mixed with the meat and sufficient of the liver oil 

 to prevent its burning when stirred over an even fire (about a 

 gill of oil for 10 lbs. of meat), until medium dry. It is then 

 served with boiled sweet potatoes. If the shark is in good con- 

 dition, the liver is whitish or pinkish, and such individuals are 

 selected for the table, those with small brown livers are rejected 

 as not in such good condition, and because the liver will not fur- 

 nish sufficient oil. Pork is sometimes used as a substitute for 

 the liver oil, but is not as good. 



These Bermuda sharks which average eight or ten lbs. in 

 weight, are caught for the market in large quantities off shore 

 in June, Jul}', and August with hand lines, and sell for 12 cents 

 apiece, dressed — which is, of course, much more reasonable than 

 other kinds of fish. 



The Edged Shark, Carcharhinus limbatus t "Caconetta," is 

 one of the commonest species in Porto Rico. It is five feet or 

 more in length when full grown, has the teeth in the upper jaw 

 rather narrow, similar to those in the lower. Its color is grayish, 

 the fins boldly tipped with black. Concerning it, Evermann and 

 Marsh in "Fishes of Porto Rico" say. "Used as food by the very 

 poor." One of the writers has eaten a steak from a freshly 

 caught specimen in Florida, fried in graham flower, and found 

 it decidedly palatable, and not at all tough. The meat is beau- 

 tifully white. 



The colored population in the South relish shark as food, 

 otherwise it is little eaten in the United States. 



According to Dr. L. Hussakof, shark is extensively mar- 

 keted in Naples, where it is served in the restaurants. 



Hammer-head Shark. (Sphyrna zygaena) 

 "Cornuda." 



This shark which reaches a length of 15 feet or more is 

 generally common in tropical seas. It is considered edible in the 



