SAW- FISHES. 165 



Snout of P. Antiquorum, Lath. 



The saw-fish is said to be one of the most formi- 

 dable enemies of the whale tribe. Though so much 

 smaller, it attacks and even overcomes the Green- 

 land whale. It seems probable, however, that one 

 saw-fish is unequal to such a victory, and that 

 several usually attack the whale in concert. Mr. 

 Yarrel, in his recent work on British Fishes, refers 

 to an account of a combat, on the west coast of 

 Scotland, between a whale and a company of saw- 

 fish, aided by an auxiliary force of thrashers ; the 

 sea was dyed with blood from the stabs inflicted 

 in the water by the serrated snouts of the saw-fish, 

 while the thrashers, watching their opportunity, 

 struck at the unwieldy animal as often as he rose 

 to the surface for breath. We shall illustrate this 

 form farther by the 



