history of the fishes of massachusetts. 253 



Selachus Maximus, Cuv. 

 The Basking or Elephant Shark. 



(Plate XXXVII. Fig. 3.) 



Squalus maximus, Lin., Sys. Nat. I. p. 400. 



" " Basking Shark, Penn., Brit. Zool. p. 134, pi. 16. 



" Shaw, Gen. Zool. v. p. 327, pi. 149. 



" " Fabeicius, Fauna Greenlandica, p. 130. 



" " Basking Shark, Jenyns, Brit. Vert. p. 503, sp. 193. 



Squalus peregrinus, Blainville, Ann. du Museum, xvm. pi. 6, fig. 1. 

 Squalus maximus, Basking Shark, Mitch., Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. of N. Y. I. p. 486. 

 Sqiuilus elephas, Lesueur, Journ. Acad. Nat. Soc. II. p. 343, pi. 



Squalus (Selachus) maximus, Cuv., Basking Shark, Rich, Faun. Boreal, Americ. III. p. 291. 

 Selachus maximus, Basking Shark, Sun-Jish, Sail-Jish, Yarrell, Brit. Fishes (2d edit.) n. pi. 518, flg. 

 Selachus maximus, Griffith, Cuv. x. p. 603. 

 Squalus elephas, Les., Storer, Report, p. 407. 



Selachus maximus, Basking Shark, Dekay, Rep. p. 357, pi. 63, fig. 208. 

 " " Storer, Synopsis. 



Color. The whole upper part of the body of a dark slate color ; lighter beneath. 

 Mouth white, mottled with fuliginous. 



Description. The surface of the body throughout, divided into innumerable rugae 

 which are covered with minute sharp points, often collected into groups, resembling the 

 discs of many of the echini, upon which are situated the spines by which they are orna- 

 mented ; or, still more, the tubercles along the lateral line of some of our cotti, causing 

 the skin to be exceedingly rough. 



From the tip of the snout to the first branchiae, four feet nine inches. Five very large 

 branchiae nearly surrounding the head, as the animal is lying ; the first pair of branchiae 

 are separated on the neck, from each other, six inches ; the second pair are separated, at 

 the same situation, nine inches ; the third pair, one foot three inches ; the fourth pair, one 

 foot nine inches ; the fifth pair, two feet three inches ; showing the first interval to be 

 much the largest. The head is small ; perfectly smooth for the most part in front of 

 the eyes, and covered with circular and oblong mucous pores, which keep this portion 

 constantly lubricated. Snout blunt. Nostrils five inches in front of the eyes, the lower 

 portion upon the edge of the upper lips. Eyes very small ; their diameter three inches ; 

 largest circumference of sclerotic coat when removed from the socket, eight and a half 

 inches. Eyes very movable in their orbits ; distance between the eyes two feet ; dis- 

 tance between the tip of the jaws, as artificially raised, two feet ; this vertical gap is un- 

 doubtedly as much again at least, in the living fish, which gives an opening of four feet. 



