500 PISCES (CARTILAG.) PLAGIOSTOMI. [SQUALUS. 



(3. LAMNA, Cuv.) 

 189. S. Cornubicus, Gmel. (Porbeagle Shark.) 



S. Cornubicus, Gmel. Linn. torn. i. part iii. p. 1497. Turt. Brit. 

 Faun. p. 113. Don. Brit. Fish. vol. v. pi. 108. Neill in Wern. 

 Mem. vol. i. p. 549. Blainv. Faun. Fran$. p. 96. pi. 14. f. 2.? 

 S. Selanonus, Leach in Wern. Mem. vol. n. p. 64. pi. 2. f. 2. ? 

 Lamna Cornubica, Flem. Brit. An. p. 168. Porbeagle, Borl. 

 Cornw. p. 265. pi. 26. f. 4. Penn. Brit. Zool. vol.m. p. 117. Id. 

 (Edit. 1812.) vol. m. p. 152. Goodenough in Linn. Trans, vol. in. 

 p. 80. pi. 15. Le Squale Nez, Cuv. Reg. An. torn. n. p. 389.? 



LENGTH. Said to attain the length of from five to nine feet. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Girth (in the thickest part of a specimen three 

 feet nine inches in length) two feet one inch : body very thick and deep, 

 but extremely slender and flattened just at the setting on of the tail; the 

 sides near that part distended and sloping, thinning off to a sharp angle 

 or elevated line : snout very long, slender towards the extremity, sharp- 

 pointed, and punctured beneath : nostrils near the mouth, at about one- 

 fourth of the distance between it and the end of the snout ; of a lunar 

 form, the extremities pointing backwards: mouth semicircular: teeth 

 very sharp, smooth, two-edged, with a little acute process at the base on 

 either side ; (the process in some concealed within the gums ;) arranged 

 (according to Goodenough) in the upper jaw, in two rows, except in the 

 front, where the two middle ones stand single; in the under jaw, in two 

 rows also, except in the front, where the two middle teeth have a triple 

 row ; the inner row bent inwards, the others all turned outwards ; (ac- 

 cording to Pennant) in three rows in the upper jaw; the same on the 

 sides of the lower, but only two rows in the front of the latter: eyes about 

 four inches* from the extremity of the snout, and upon an exact level 

 with the surface of the body : branchial openings five in number, placed 

 in a regular series ; the apertures perpendicular, and about three inches 

 long : skin, when stroked backwards, a little roughish, with an obsolete 

 line of minute tubercles- running from the head down the sides, and at 

 length ending in the thick elevated ridge, which takes place at the depres- 

 sion of the body near the tail : first dorsal placed nearly in the middle, 

 erect, its height not quite equal to its length : second dorsal pretty near 

 the tail, much smaller: anal nearly opposite to this last, of the same 

 length and size : above and below the tail, near the base of the caudal, 

 a semicircular or lunar impression, the points directed backwards : caudal 

 of a lunar form, vertical, the upper lobe nearly one-third longer (Pennant 

 says, a little longer f) than the lower: pectorals immediately behind the 

 branchial openings, and equalling rather more than one-sixth of the 

 entire length; of a semilunar form behind: ventrals small, also of a 

 semilunar form behind. GOODEN. and PENN. (Colours.) " Colour of 

 the whole upper part, the sides, fins, and tail, dusky, tinged obscurely 

 with green and blue ; beneath, from the tip of the nose, and also part 

 of the sides, entirely white." PENN. 



This species was first noticed by Jago,from whose drawing of it Borlase's 

 figure was engraved. Since his time many other individuals have oc- 

 curred on different parts of the coast. Dr. Goodenough's specimen was 

 obtained at Hastings ; Pennant's at Brighton. Mr. Neill states that it 

 is occasionally met with in the Frith of Forth : Mr. Couch remarks that 



* This is with reference to Dr. Goodenough's specimen : as, however, there was only an inch 

 difference in length between his and Pennant's, this difference would not much affect the relative 

 proportions. 



f According to Cuvier and Blainville, the lobes are nearly equal. 



