518 THE OCEAX WORLD. 



sitiable, spread over almost every climate, an inhabitant of every sea, 

 and recently not seldom seen on our own shores, the shark rapidly 

 pursues every fish, which fly at its approach ; and threatens with its 

 wide gullet the unfortunate victims of shipwreck, shutting them out 

 from all hope of safety. 



The body of the shark is long, and its skin is studded with small 

 tubercles: this skin becomes so hard, and takes so high a polish, 

 that it is employed for various ornamental purposes. This resisting 

 power protects the shark from the bites of every inhabitant of the sea, 

 if there be any daring enough to approach it with that view. 



The back and sides of the Shark, Carcharius vulgaris (Fig. 352), 

 are of an ashy brown ; beneath it is faded white. The head is flat, 

 and terminates in a muzzle slightly rounded. Its terrible mouth is in 

 the form of a semicircle, and of enormous size ; the contour of the 

 upper jaw of a shark often yards length being about two yards wide, and 

 its throat being of a proportionate diameter to this monstrous opening. 

 When the throat of the animal is open we see beyond the lips, which 

 are straight and of the consistence of leather, certain plates of teeth, 

 which are triangular, dentate, and white as ivory. If the shark is an 

 adult it has in the upper as in the lower jaw six rows of these 

 murderous arms, an arsenal ready to tear and rend its victim. These 

 teeth take different motions according to the will of the animal, and 

 obedient to the muscles round their base, by means of which it can 

 erect or retract its various rows of teeth ; it can even erect a portion 

 of any row, while the others remain at rest in their bed. Thus this 

 far-seeing tyrant of the ocean knows how to measure the number and 

 power of the arms necessary to destroy its prey : for the destruction of 

 the weak and defenceless one row of teeth suffices ; for the more for- 

 midable adversary it has a whole arsenal at command. 



The eyes of the shark are small, and nearly round ; the iris of a 

 deep green, the eyeball, shaped in a transversal slit, is bluish ; its 

 scent is very subtle ; its fins are strong and rough. 



The pectoral fins are triangular, and much larger than the others, 

 extending on each side, and giving powerful aid in swimming. The 

 caudal fin is divided into two very unequal lobes, the upper extending 

 in a sloping direction to twice the length of the other. This tail is 

 possessed of immense power, and is capable of breaking the limb of a 

 robust man by a single stroke. 



