THE BASKING SHARK. C)Q 



Description. 



tures, it is asserted, that they will not devour 

 any feathered animal that is thrown overboard; 

 but that they will readily take a bait of a piece 

 of flesh fastened on an iron crook. 



THE BASKING SIIJRK. 



THIS, though a very large fish, possesses 

 none of the voracity and ferociousness that 

 mark the generality of the shark tribe. It will fre- 

 quently lie motionless on the surface of the wa- 

 ter, generally on its belly, but sometimes on- its 

 back ; and it seems so little afraid of mankind as 

 often to suffer itself to be patted and stroked. 

 Its body is slender, and from three to twelve 

 yards in length, of a deep lead colour above, and 

 white below. The upper jaw is blunt at the end, 

 and much longer than the lower. The mouth is 

 placed beneath, and furnished with small teeth; 

 these before much bent, and the remote ones 

 conical and sharp-pointed. On each side of the 

 neck are five breathing apertures. There are 

 two dorsal, two pectoral, two ventral fins, and 

 one small anal fin. Within the mouth, near the 

 throat, is a short kind of whalebone. The liver 

 is of such immense size as frequently to weigh 

 near a thousand pounds. From this a great 

 quantity of good oil is extracted; which renders 

 this shark an animal of considerable importance 



