CENTRING. FISHES. 387 



Gen. 11. CENTRINA, Cuv. Squalus, Lin. 

 Skin very rough ; teeth of the lower jaw edged, and in one or 

 two rows, those of the upper slender, pointed, and in many 

 rows ; second dorsal fin placed above the ventrals ; no anal 

 fin ; tail short. 



C. vulgaris, Cuv. (Sq. centrina, Lin.) Body subtrigonal, brown co- 

 loured above, white below ; head small and flattened ; spiracles 

 behind the eyes. 3 to 4 feet long. Inhabits European seas. 

 Shaw, v. pi. 153. * 



C. squamosa, Cuv. Snout oblong, depressed ; eyes oblong ; body 

 covered with ovate carinated scales. 3 feet long. Shaw, v. 348. 



Geii. 12. SCYMNUS, Cuv. Squalits, Risso. Lin. 

 Snout short, obtuse ; teeth in the lower jaw edged, in one or two 

 rows, in the upper pointed, and in many rows ; no spines before 

 the dorsal fins. 



S. borealis, Fleming. Greenland Shark. Body gray ; first dorsal 

 fin larger than the second, more advanced than the ventrals ; 

 pectoral fins large ; ventrals elongated, the two sides nearly pa- 

 rallel. About fourteen feet long. Inhabits Northern Seas. B. 

 British Animals, 166. 



S. Nicensis, (Sq. Americanus, Gmel.) Scales small and angular ; 

 snout short and obtuse ; second dorsal fin largest ; ventral fins 

 near the tail. 3 feet long. European seas Shaw, v. 347- 



Gen. 13. San AT IN A, Dumeril. Squalus, Lin. 

 Body broad, and flattened horizontally ; head round ; mouth ter- 

 minal; temporal orifices; pectoral fins very large and ex- 

 tended forwards, separated from the neck by a cleft, in which 

 are the branchial openings ; the dorsal fins behind the ven- 

 trals ; no anal fin. 



S. Icevis, Cuv. (Sq. squatina, Lin.) The Angel Fish. Body gray 

 above, and covered with tubercles, white beneath ; head circular, 

 broader than the body. 6 to 8 feet long. Inhabits European 

 seas. B. Shaw, v. pi. 155. 



The Romans used the rough skin of this species for polishing wood and ivory, and 

 it still furnishes the finest shagreen. 



Gen. 14. PRISTIS, Latham. Squalus, Lin. 

 Body flattened anteriorly, with four or five branchial openings 

 below on each side ; two spiracles behind the eyes ; no anal 

 fin ; head prolonged into a depressed bony beak, with strong 

 pointed spines on each side ; teeth crowded, flattened. 



P. antiquorum, Lath. (Sq. pristis, Lin.) The Saw-Fish. Beak 

 armed with twenty-four large teeth on each side ; body gray- 

 brown above, paler below ; jaws with several rows of small blunt 



