THRESHER, OR FOX SHARK. Alopias wipe*. 



BASKING SHARK. Vetorhinus manmns. 



It is a magnificent fish, often attaining to a lengtn of thirty-live or thirty-six feet, 

 tt does not appear, however, to be dangerous in proportion to its size, its teeth being very 

 small in proportion to its dimensions, and the only food found in its stomach being the 

 remains of crustaceans and probably of echini. 



The Basking Shark is not very uncommon on our shores, especially if westerly winds 

 have been prevailing. It seems to be of a rather dull and listless character, allowing 

 itself to be approached quite closely by a boat, without giving any signs of alarm until 

 the bow of the boat actually touches its person. Owing to this sluggard mode of life, it 

 can easily be harpooned, but then bursts into furious energy with startling quickness, 

 dives like lightning to a great depth, so as to require a very considerable length of rope, 

 and putting forth the vast powers that have been lying dormant in the warm embraces ol 

 the sunbeams, like the might of Hercules in Omphale's arms, dashes away with such 

 speed, and plunges with such wrathful violence, that its capture is an achievement of great 

 difficulty and no small danger. 



The gill apertures of the Basking Shark are extremely long, reaching almost across 

 the neck. The head is conical, the muzzle short, and the eyes near the snout. The skin 

 is very rough to the touch, whether the hand be passed from head to tail or vice versa, 

 and the colour is blackish brown, glossed with a bluish tint. 



THE lower figure is that of a well-known species, familiar under the names of 

 THKESHEK, Fox SHARK, SEA Fox, and SEA APE. It is at once to be recognised by the 

 peculiar form of the head and the wonderfully long upper lobe of the tail, which equals 



