2256 



The Zoologist — August, 1870. 



strong cartilaginous substance, almost as close and hard as the main 

 bones of the fish. There was nothing unusual in the intestinal 

 appearances. There was the short gut usual in sharks and much 

 digested food, but the stomach was empty. 



The fish was in excellent condition ; the flesh was firm and very 

 white and fat. The skin was thin, and, whilst the fish was alive, very 

 tight-fitting : after the death of the fish it became flabby and loose. 



The fish looked like a rapid swimmer, whose large gill-surfaces 

 would invest it with any amount of "slaying" power. The size of 

 the mouth and teeth, and the peculiar pectinated arrangements in the 

 gill-rays, and the intestines, suggested that its food was probably 

 small marine animals of some sort, and that its mode of feeding was 

 analogous to that of the whale.* 



The measurements were : 



Over all ... 



Eye to fork 



Beaked projeclion of snout 

 Extremity of snout to spiracle 



„ eye 



„ origin of pectorals 



„ „ first dorsal 



Length of pectoral 

 Length of the base of the first dorsal 

 Perpendicular height of first dorsal 

 Extreme breadth (fore and afi) of first dorsal 

 From end of base of first dorsal to origin of secoud dorsal 

 Height of second dorsal 

 Base of second dorsal 



Extreme breadth (fore and aft) of second dorsal 

 From base of second dorsal to fork 

 Upper lobe of tail, consisting of two fins, a large one with a small 



one near the top .... 

 Lower lobe ..... 



From origin of pectoral to origin of ventrals 

 Length of ventrals .... 



Extreme breadth of ventrals 

 Origin of Tcntrals to origin of anal 

 Length of anal ..... 

 (Origin of anal a little behind origin of second dorsal) 

 Gape across the jaws .... 



* Pennant says of the basking shark, " Linnaeus says they feed on Medussc 



