126 THE BLUE SHARK. 



Rondeletius afcrlbes to this fpecies, only two rows of 

 teeth J but their number probably depends upon the fifties 

 age ; and if fo, no conclulion can be drawn with regard 

 to it, from a fingle inftance * : They are granulated, and 

 of a triangular ihape f. This naturaliil declares, that 

 he was an eye witnefs of the blue iharks fondnefs for 

 human flefii ; having feen one purfue a boy a confiderable 

 way along the ftiore, and making a fpring at him, near- 

 ly bit of his legs. 



It is concerning this fpecies, that JElian relates fuch 

 extraordinary inftances of parental affeftion J. It is faid 

 by him, that the blue (hark, permits its fmall brood, 

 when in danger, to fwim down its mouth, and take fhel- 

 ter in its belly. This faft is faid to have been obferved 

 by RondeletiuSy an able naturalift ; and it is narrated by 

 Pennant J a very accurate ichthyologift, as a part of the 

 hiftory of this whole genus that is entitled to belief. In 

 faft, it is no more incredible, than that the young of the 

 oppojjum, ftiould ^feek an alTylum in the ventral pouch 

 of its parent j a fad too well known to be contefted §, 



• De Pifcibus. f Lin. Syft. Nat, 



% JSXzx, Ao lib. i. cap. l6. 



5 Vids Britiih Zool, article, Blue Sharkt 



