nsnES. 225 



The history offislies furnislies many ciu'ious examples of 

 certain kinds being held in high estimation in some places as 

 food, and quite despised in others. This is the case with the 

 Kays, of which there are eight native species. In the London 

 market they are much valued, and in some parts of the coasts 

 they are considered delicate and well-flavoured; while, in other 

 localities, they are not used at all, or employed only as bait 

 for catching crabs and lobsters. Colonel Montagu mentions a 

 similar fact respecting the Sand-eel, known as the Sand Launce 

 (Ammodytes Lancea). At Teignmouth it was in great request 

 as food, while on another part of the south coast of Devon- 

 shire it would not be eaten even by the poorest people. 



The Dog-fishes ,of our own coasts belong to the fiimily of 

 the Sharks {Squalidce) . In these rapacious fishes, " as among 

 the truly predacious birds, the females are larger than the 

 males ; and almost aU the species have received some name 

 resemblmg Beagle, Hound, llough Hound, Dog-fish, Spotted 

 Dog, etc., probably from their habit of following their prey, or 

 hunting in company or packs. All the Sharks are exceedingly 

 tenacious of life. Their skins, which are of very variable 

 degrees of roughness, according to the species, are used for 

 dili'erent purposes ; in some instances by cabinet-makers, for 

 bringing up and smoothing the surfaces of hard wood."* 



The Small-spotted Dog-fish {Scyllimn Canicula, Fig. 19G), 



Fig 196.— Small-spotted Dog-fish. 



the species most abundant on our shores, is an object of great 

 disUke to fishermen, who try in various ways to avenge the 

 injury which they believe it causes to their fishing. In tropical 

 seas, the capture of the White or of the Blue Shark, the terror 

 of mariners, is always to them a source of great exultation. 

 The first act of the sailors, when their enemy is hauled up on 



* Yarrell, vol. ii. p. 369. 



