496 PISCES (CARTILAG.) PLAGIOSTOMI. [SQUALUS. 



second dorsal rather before the middle point between the first dorsal and 

 the end of the caudal, shaped like the first, but rather smaller: anal 

 answering to the space between the two dorsals, commencing a little 

 beyond the termination of the first, and terminating nearly in a line with 

 the commencement of the second; somewhat triangular, with the posterior 

 portion produced backwards in the form of a lanceolate process : tail very 

 long, equalling a little more than half the entire length ; terminating in 

 a caudal fin ; upper lobe of the caudal commencing a little beyond the 

 termination of the second dorsal, low at first, but gradually widening 

 towards its extremity, which is truncated ; lower lobe a little distant from 

 the upper, and of a triangular form : pectorals large, of about the length 

 of the head, broadest at their posterior margin, which is cut square : vent- 

 rals a little in advance of the first dorsal, attached horizontally, much 

 smaller than the pectorals, obliquely truncated behind, their posterior 

 margins meeting at an acute angle; together they form a kind of lozenge, 

 in the middle of which is the vent. The male is characterized by having 

 the ventrals larger than in the other sex, and united throughout their 

 length by an intermediate membrane ; they are also furnished on their 

 inner margins with fusiform appendages, not extending beyond the fin in 

 young subjects, but lengthening in adults : in the female, the ventrals 

 have the last third portions of their inner margins separate. (Colours.) 

 Back, upper portion of the head, and the whole of the sides, reddish gray, 

 or dirty flesh-red, with very numerous small dark brown spots ; the spots 

 on the posterior portion of the body more scattered : fins coloured like the 

 back, but the spots larger and less numerous ; anal almost without spots : 

 under portion of the head and body whitish, free from spots. Obs. The 

 spots are generally less numerous, and rather larger, in the female than 

 in the male. 



A common species on all parts of the coast. Does not attain to any 

 great size. Very voracious, preying on almost any animal substance. 

 Oviparous: produces, according to Pennant, about nineteen young at 

 a time. Very tenacious of life. Obs. I have ventured to bring toge- 

 ther the Spotted Dog-Fish and the Lesser Spotted Dog-Fish of Pennant, 

 under a strong suspicion that they are simply the two sexes of the pre- 

 sent species. The female has probably been confounded by some authors 

 with the following. 



185. S. stellaris, Linn. (Rock Dog-Fish.) Spots 

 large and scattered : ventrals cut square at their posterior 

 margin : valves of the nostrils separate, not reaching to the 

 mouth. 



S. stellaris, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 399. Blainv. Faun. Fran^. 

 p. 71. pi. 17. f. 2. Scyllium stellare, Bon. Faun. Ital. Fasc. yii. 

 Catulus maximus, Will. Hist. Pise. p. 63. ? Spotted Dog-Fish, 

 Var. Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. in. p. 114. Id. (Edit. 1812.) vol. in. 

 p. 150. Rock Shark, Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. v. part ii. p. 336. 

 La petite Roussette ou Rochier, Cuv. Reg. An. torn. n. p. 386. 



LENGTH. From two to three feet. According to Blainville, it attains 

 to a larger size than the last species. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Closely resembling the S. Canicula, but differing 

 essentially in the structure of the lobes of the nostrils, and in the form of 

 the ventrals: the former are not united as in that species, and of a smaller 

 size, leaving the whole of the mouth and the upper lip visible : the vent- 



