Some Oddities of Fish-life 



fiercely human beings wading in the sea at low 

 tide. 



Sometimes the above is called also the " Sea 

 Cat-fish ; " but true Cat-fishes belong to quite 

 another family; and they can hardly be de- 

 scribed as more desirable acquaintances. With 

 their solemn Grimalkin - like expression, their 

 love of fighting, their sharp serrated spines, with 

 which they can give most painful wounds, the 

 Cat of the Ocean is not likely to be transformed 

 into a domestic pet, for at least some time to 

 come. 



These two last quarrelsome creatures may lead 

 us from "interesting" specimens of Fish-life to 

 those which have been roughly classed above 

 as " Fishes of Prey." 



Prominent among the latter stands the dreaded 

 Shark. In common parlance we speak of a shark 

 as a fish. Yet scientifically the description is 

 incorrect. Sharks and Skates are now looked 

 upon as apart from Fishes proper, being de- 

 scribed rather as " Fish-like Vertebrates," not 

 true fishes. 



One very marked difference is found in the 

 numbers of their young. With true fishes, as 

 already shown, eggs are produced in enormous 

 quantities. But with sharks and skates, only one 



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