MCOtTLLOCH. 9 



Selskab. iii, 1765, p. 33; Selache maxima Day, Fish. Gt. Brit & Ireld. ii, 



1880-1884- p. 303, pi. 158, 1. (PL ii.). 

 A very largo, but harmless shark, attaining a length of 35 feet. It occurs in 

 all warm and temperate seas, but has only once been noted in our waters. Its 

 food consists of minute floating animals, which are apparently strained from the 

 water by means of peculiar comb-like structures on the gill-arches. 



XV. Family Squalidae. 



25. Squalus Liune, Syst. Nat. 10th ed., 1758, p. 233 (acanthias). 



25a. S. megalops. Piked Dog-fish. Acanthias megalops Macleay, P.L.S. 



N.S.W. vi, 1881, p. 367. (PL ii.). 

 Abundant in somewhat deeper waters, where it is.taken by the trawlers. Grows 

 to nearly three feet in length. Though this shark is disdained as food, quantities, 

 of an allied species are imported into Australia in a smoked condition, and sold as 

 "Smoked Haddock." 



XVI. Family Pristiophoridae. 



26. Pristiophoeus Mull. & Henle, Arch. Naturg. iii. 1, 1837, p. 399 (cirratm). 



20a. P. cirratus. Saw Shark. Pristis cirratus Latham, Tr. Linn. Soc. Lond. 



ii, 1794, p. 281, pis. 26, 5 & 27. (The figure on PL ii. represents a 



closely allied species P. nudipinnis) . 



Very common, and growing to about four feet long. The toothed blade which 



fonns the snout is an effective weapon of attack among the schools of herring and 



other small fishes upon which these sharks feed. The young are born alive, and 



have the teeth of the snout laid flat against the sides so as to avoid injury to the 



mother. 



XVII. Family Squatinidae. 



27. Squatina Dumeril, Zool. Analyt., 1806, pp. 102, 342 (angelus). 



27a. S. australis. Angel Shark. Id. Regan, A.M.N.H. (7) xviii, 1906, 



p. 438; Rhina squatina McCoy, Prodr. Zool. Vict. dec. iv, 1879, pi. 34. 



(PL ii.). 



Common, and reaching a length of about five feet. It feeds upon crabs and 



shell-fish, etc., and produces its young alive. The body is depressed and flat, like 



that of a ray, but the gill-openings are on the sides as in the sharks. 



RAYS— Order BATOIDEI. 



Key to the Families of Rays recorded from New South Wales. 

 A. Snout produced into a saw-like blade. Prisiidae (xvii.). 



AA. Snout not saw-like. 



B. Head without free horn-like fins. 

 C. Caudal fin large, tail stout. 



D. Electric organs absent or incipient, skin scaly. Rhinobatidae (xix.). 

 DD. Electric organs present, skin soft and naked. Narcobatidae (xx.). 



CC. Caudal fin smaller or absent, tail more slender. 



E. Tail without a serrated spine. Rajidae (xxi.). 

 EE. Tail usually with a serrated spine. 



F. Teeth small and numerous. Dasyatidae (xxii.). 



FF. Teeth few. large, flat and tessellated. Myliobatidae (xxiii.). 



BB. Head with two horn-like fins. Mobulidae (xxiv.). 



