FISHES DIAGRAM 5. 108 



similar to that which is produced by a violent blow of a stick on 

 the shoulder. 



The Sharks. There are sharks so large that they are able to 

 seize the legs of a bather in the sea, and .tear off the flesh ; but 

 they are not all of this size. Much smaller fish, known 



Shark. 



as dogfish, are also true sharks. All fishes of this kind 

 have mouths furnished, like those of the rays, with several 

 rows of teeth, only the sharks have them very long and 

 pointed. It is with these that they tear the prey which they 

 cannot swallow at a gulp. At the back of the teeth which they 

 use, others always grow, so that if by accident some are broken or 

 lost, or worn out, they are soon replaced and the gaps filled up. 

 These animals are always ravenous, and they are seen to follow 

 ships to devour whatever is thrown into the sea. It is then suffi- 

 cient to fasten a piece of meat to a strong hook attached to a chain 

 to catch them if a cord were used, it might be cut by their teeth. 

 The Lamprey. We shall finish the list of fishes, and of the 

 cartilaginous fishes in particular, with the lamprey. It has a body 

 like that of an eel, but it looks as if it had no ^^W^^f^ 



head. It has in front only a large sucker, with ^* -^' 



which it attaches itself to rocks like a great Head of Lam P re y- 

 leech. 



The Hippocampus. Certain fishes are so called 

 from a Greek word meaning horse, because their 

 head somewhat resembles that of a horse. They 

 swim by means of a small fin on the back, and 

 preserve the singular attitude which is represented 

 in the figure. At other times they remain straight, 



with their tail rolled round some marine plant. 



Hippocampus. 



