64 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Descriptions. 



THE BLUE SHARK. 



THE body of this animal is of a fine blue co- 

 lour, dark on the back, lighter on the sides; the 

 fins and tail of a dirty blue; the belly, and all 

 the under part of the fish white. No orifices are 

 to be seen behind the eye, as is usual with fish 

 of this genus. Two white membranes, one to 

 each eye, perform the office of eye-lids. When 

 the head was placed downwards, a pretty large 

 white pouch came out of its mouth. JElian sup- 

 poses this to serve as an asylum to the young 

 brood in time of danger; and Mr. Pennant,,who 

 gives credit to the story, thinks that this fish, 

 like the opossum, may have a place fitted by na- 

 ture for the reception of her young. This, how- 

 ever, has been denied by some writers. In 1779 

 a shark of this species was caught on the coast 

 of Devonshire, the skin of which was stuffed and 

 deposited in the British Museum. 



THE WHITE SHARK. 



THIS shark has six rows of teeth, hard, 

 sharply-pointed, and of a wedge-like figure. 

 These he has the power of erecting and depres- 

 sing at pleasure. When at rest, they are quit* 

 flat in his mouth; but when his prey is to be 

 seized, they are instantly erected by a set of 



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