THE nurse's eggs. 243 



behind the pectorals, towed to the beach. Since, 

 however, the one above described, and another lying 

 on the shore, not far off, were both females, full of 

 egg-cases far advanced to maturity, I think it not 

 improbable that the periodical resort to the warm 

 sunny shallows is for the purpose of depositing the 

 ripe capsules ; and that the animal may be intent on 

 this process, when supposed to be sleeping. Many 

 animals, when once actually engaged in the operation 

 of ovipositing, become insensible, or at least in- 

 different, to all that takes place around them, and 

 will allow themselves to be taken or killed without 

 making an attempt to escape. 



The egg-capsules were about five inches in length, 

 somewhat pear-shaped, but flattened, destitute of 

 tendrils, of a clear brown hue, and horny texture, but 

 not of great strength : in some of them the young 

 Shark was fully formed, and about three inches long. 

 Many of the capsules were lying on the sand, around 

 the second specimen, which was more advanced in 

 decomposition than mine ; and some were floating on 

 the surface of the shallow sea, among the arching 

 roots of the Mangrove trees which were staining the 

 water of the colour of brandy. 



The Nurse is of a dull brown hue on the upper 

 parts, without spots ; the inferior parts are whitish. 

 The singularly small white eye, with the horizontally 

 linear pupil, imparts a remarkable, and certainly not 

 a pleasing expression to the countenance ; but as the 

 eyebrow is not projecting, there is nothing of the 

 sinister and malignant aspect common to the true 

 Sharks. The skin is covered with minute round 



