I06 The Shark 



loomed large as a veritable demon of destruction to 

 her offspring, for, strange as it may appear to most 

 people, the Shark is a most loving parent, and although 

 she can only shelter her young within her body, not 

 knowing how to protect them by fighting for them, 

 she is nevertheless torn by anxiety on their behalf. 



Now for many days she has no rest at all. With the 

 solicitude of a mother-hen for her chicks, she watches 

 over that group of Sharklings, shepherded by the pilot, 

 whom they are rapidly outgrowing, sheltered in her 

 bosom and fed ; yes, fed, though often the mother 

 feels as if vultures were tearing at her liver, until at 

 last there comes a day when the youngsters, having 

 grown sufficiently to take, and make, their own way 

 through this watery world, leave her one by one and 

 melt into the void, to lead henceforward an indepen- 

 dent existence in that great ocean expanse, and the 

 deserted mother seeks another mate who may provide 

 her with a new family to suffer for and be deserted 

 by in their due turn. 



In the few preceding pages I have dealt with 

 the Shark as if there were only one kind, although 

 I did carefully mention that there were others of 

 the same family. But, as a matter of fact, there are 

 more varieties of the Shark family than of any other 

 fish family living, with the possible exception of the 

 mackerel. I have never been able to reckon up how 

 many Sharks there are of distinctly different cha- 

 racteristics, but an enormous number there certainly 

 are, all characterised by the one feature, that of 

 enormous eaters of garbage. Sharks with wide mouths, 

 armed with seven rows of teeth, each an inch long, and 

 with triangular edges saw-toothed, finer than any 

 surgical instrument ever made. Sharks with wide 

 mouths, armed with fifty rows of needle-like teeth, 



