52 WILD LIFE IN NORTH CANARA. 



was perfectly flat ; and the mouth, which 

 was a mere slit of about eight inches 

 wide, was not far behind the root of 

 the saw. The fish could not possibly 

 open such a mouth to any width, but 

 moving flat along the bottom, and 

 swaying the rake from side to side as 

 it advanced, it would detach weed and 

 shell-fish and sea-slugs from the bed 

 of the sea, and these might be sucked 

 into the mouth as it passed over them. 



I am not, I regret to say, a scientific 

 naturalist, and I offer this theory of 

 the saw-fish and his manner of gaining 

 his living for what it may be worth. 



On that occasion I stupidly missed 

 a golden opportunity for verifying my 

 theory.* I had satisfied my curiosity, 



* By neglecting to open the fish. 



