92 SQUALIDES. 



of the egg from which they had their being. This 

 highly nutritious substance is slowly absorbed 

 through the duct, into the stomach, and finally, 

 the cord shrinks and drops off. 



By the time this curious process is completed, 

 adverted to in the physiological proem, the teeth 

 are sufficiently developed to hold the prey they 

 may overcome. To those who often witness this 

 appendage to young sharks, in calms, at sea, 

 this explanation, we trust, will be satisfactory. 



During the excessive heat of summer, attracted 

 by the odor of the floating offals from a port, it is 

 no uncommon circumstance for them to penetrate 

 into the docks. Their sense of smell is admitted 

 to be exceedingly acute, or they never would pursue 

 vessels for such long periods together, when per- 

 sons on board are laboring under putrid diseases. 

 When they have attained the object of pursuit, 

 by unceasing perseverance, the chase is at once 

 given up. 



Bathing, therefore, in the warm season at low 

 tide, in the vicinity of wharves, is certainly an ex- 

 posure, though it may so happen that a series of 

 years may elapse without any unpleasant occur- 

 rence from such a source. 



A year since, while a lad was fishing in a small 

 boat, in the outer harbor of Newport, R. I., his 



