498 PISCES (CARTILAG.) PLAGIOSTOMI. [SQUALUS. 



isosceles triangle, extending beyond the base of the first dorsal : ventrals 

 small, a little nearer the second dorsal than the first. (Colours.') Cine- 

 reous brown above, whitish beneath, with two rows of black dots on the 

 sides." BLAINV. 



This species appears to be very rare in the British seas; nor am I 

 aware of any description of a native specimen on record. Grew ha& 

 incidentally thrown out a remark * that it is sometimes found upon the 

 Cornish coast. Low states, that according to information given to him, it 

 is met with in the neighbourhood of the Orkneys. None of our other 

 English authors, that I am aware, have specified any localities in which 

 it has occurred. The description given above is taken from the Faune 

 Francais. It may be of use in enabling future observers to identify this 

 species : it must be remembered, however, that two or more appear to 

 have been confounded under the name of Carcharias; and possibly it 

 may not belong to the one which has been met with in the British seas. 

 According to Cuvier, the S. Carcharias of Blocht is very distinct. The 

 present species is widely distributed, and attains to a very large size. It 

 is very voracious, and much dreaded by navigators. 



187- S. Vulpes, Gmel. (Sea-Fox, or Thresher.) 

 Teeth triangular, pointed ; the edges not denticulated : 

 caudal with the upper lobe nearly as long as the body. 



S. Vulpes, Gmel. Linn. torn. i. partiii. p. 1496. Turt. Brit. Faun. 

 p. 112. Blainv. Faun. Frang. p. 94. pi. 14. f. 1. Vulpes marina, 

 Will. Hist. Pise. p. 54. tab. B. 6. f. 2. Carcharias Vulpes, Flem. 

 Brit. An. p. 167. Long-tailed Shark, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. in. 

 p. 110. pi. 14. Id. (Edit. 1812.) vol. in. p. 145. pi. 17. La Faux, 

 ou Renard, Cuv. Reg. An. torn. n. p. 388. 



LENGTH. Thirteen feet; the tail alone measuring more than six. 

 PENN. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) * Body fusiform, appearing very much elongated 

 in consequence of the relatively great size of the tail : skin very finely 

 and equally shagreened above and below : first dorsal moderately large, 

 triangular, elevated, adhering by almost the whole length of its base, 

 in the middle of the back: the second exceedingly small, triangular, 

 inclined, terminating behind in a very sharp point, and falling in a ver- 

 tical line with the base of the anal, which is similar to itself: head small, 

 rounded : snout short, conical : tail exceedingly long, in consequence of 

 the great development of the caudal fin, which is in the form of a long 

 sithe ; upper lobe enveloping the extremity of the vertebral column, and 

 separated by a notch from the lower lobe, which is moderately broad at 

 its origin : mouth moderate, of a horse-shoe form, entirely beneath : vent 

 at nearly the anterior third of the entire length : nostrils beneath, at the 

 posterior third of the length of the snout, transversely oval : eyes lateral, 

 large, occupying three-fifths of the length of the upper jaw: teeth similar 

 in both jaws, triangular, very sharp, not denticulated, broad at the base, 

 without any accessory points or tubercles : no temporal orifices : branchial 

 openings nearly equal, entirely lateral, the last two somewhat smaller, 

 nearer together, and reaching beyond the anterior margin of the pectoral 

 fin: pectorals narrow, very much elongated, triangular; the adhering 

 side much smaller, and attached for nearly its whole length: ventrals 

 small, triangular, horizontal, adhering by two-thirds of their inner edge, 



* Rarities ofGresJiam College, p. 90. t Ichth, pi. 119. 



