312 SHARKS 



variegated colors, and its handsome pattern of yellow and 

 black is a welcome variation. 



Only a few of the whole 150 species of sharks can rightly 

 be classed as "man-eaters." A typical " man-eating shark" 

 is one which is very large, exceedingly voracious, practically 

 devoid of fear of mankind, and so aggressive that it will at- 

 tack a swimmer at the surface of the water, and devour him 

 regardless of his resistance. The standard prey for sharks 

 consists of small fishes, squid, jelly-fishes, crabs, lobsters and 

 other non-combatants. 



Occasionally, however, the big Tiger Shark 1 of the Atlantic 

 chooses a victim in his own class as a fighter. Dr. Goode 

 notes the capture, by Captain Atwood, at Provincetown, 

 Massachusetts, of a specimen which contained "nearly a 

 whole full-grown sword-fish"; and "ten or twelve wounds in 

 the skin of the shark gave evidence of the contest that must 

 have occurred." 



The "man-eater shark" is not a myth, for that name is 

 applied to the great white shark, a species which ranges from 

 our Atlantic coast to Australia, and on to California. In the 

 tropics it attains a length of 30 feet. With us this creature 

 is rated as "exceedingly rare," and, judging from Dr. Goode's 

 notes, not more than a dozen specimens are caught and 

 identified in a century. The only loss of life from it on our 

 coast, so far as recorded, occurred in 1830. 



It is indeed fortunate, and merciful to mankind, that 

 sharks generally are harmless to man. Were they otherwise, 

 the terrors of the sea would be greatly increased. 



1 Gal-e-oc'er-do ti-gri'nus. 



