THE BASKING SHARK, lai 



Ihe Ba/king Shark *. 



'X'pis Is the largeft animal of this genus, and differs m 

 fome remarkable charafters from the reft of the tribe ; 

 it inhabits chiefly the cold climates, and has long beea 

 known to the inhabitants of the weft of Scotland and. 

 Ireland, where it is dittinguiflied among the failors by 

 the name of the baiking ftiark, though better known in 

 the former country by the name of the Sail-fifli. 



The latter of thefe names has been given it, becaufe 

 it is feen at a diftance on the top of the water, with all 

 its dorfal fins appearing above the furface, and fpread 

 like falls. Both in its manners, and external form, there 

 are peculiarities in which it differs from the other fharks. 

 It is far from being either voracious or fierce : Its food 

 confifts chiefly of fea plants, no filh having been ever 

 found in its bowels ; but the green, and half digetled 

 remains of algit : As its habits refemble thofe of the 

 whale, Linnieus fuppofes that it is fupported by the fame 

 food, aflercing that it devours only medufief. 



Mr. Pennant has given a very acciarate defcrlption of 

 this fpecies, and feems firft to have difcovered its affinity 

 to the ftiarks, by pointing out the five tranfverfe aper- 

 tures of the gills on each fide of the neck : formerly it 

 had beeu confidered as a kind of whale t. The oil arifins: 

 from their capture, is now made an article of trade in 



Vol. III. Q^ the 



* Squalus Maximus, Lin. Syft. Sun-fifh, Smith's Hift. of Corkc, 

 t Syltema Nat, | Bntiih Zool. clafs ir, gen. \u 



