58 SQUALIDiE. 



action in the water as most powerful, and were obliged to let 

 him rmi with the line four times to the bottom before they 

 could hamper him with a sliding noose let down over the 

 line to his tail. These lines and the trawl-net only do 

 their work at the bottom, and we may, therefore, conclude 

 that this species is a Ground Shark. As such Cuvier had 

 arranged it in his genus Sci/mnus, and Dr. Andrew Smith, 

 who from his extensive acquaintance with this division of the 

 cartilaginous fishes is an admitted authority, confirms this 

 opinion. Of this Spinous Shark, Dr. Smith says, " This 

 species is comparatively rare at the Cape of Good Hope. It 

 is described by the fishermen as sluggish and unwieldy in its 

 movements, and but seldom to be observed towards the sur- 

 face of the water. When they obtain specimens, it is gene- 

 rally at a time when they are fishing in deep water, and when 

 the bait with which the hooks are armed is near to the bot- 

 tom. In this respect it resembles the Scyllia, or Ground 

 Sharks ; and, if we were to regard only its internal organisa- 

 tion, we should be disposed to consider it as closely allied to 

 that genus." 



Never having seen a specimen of this Shark, the following 

 description of its colour and form is derived from Dr. Smith's 

 work. 



Colour : — The head and back, as far as the first dorsal fin, 

 dark leaden grey ; the rest of the back, the sides, and the 

 belly, pale coppery yellow, clouded with purple and brownish 

 tints ; and the belly besides is marked with blotches of light 

 vermilion red ; the fins toAvards their bases reddish brown, 

 tinged with dull grey, towards their extremities a lighter 

 shade of the same colour ; chin, sides of muzzle, and some- 

 times a spot behind the eye, dull white ; eyes coppery green. 



Form, &c. — Body very thick in proportion to its length, 

 with only a slight diminution in size towards the tail ; the 

 back in front of the first dorsal fin nearly straight ; the head 



