64 



mig muligt at antage Ensartethed*). Bhinodon hører ikke til 

 samme snævre Gruppe af Haifisk som Selachus, hvad de sædvan- 

 lige Karakterer, tagne af Ryg- og Gadborfmnernes Stilling, angaaer; 

 men den slaaer Selachus nær, har ogsaa yderst smaa Tænder og 

 store Gjællespalter, og lever som denne af mindre Dyr; det 

 viser sig ogsaa, at Slægtens Opstiller har hos det eneste In- 

 divid, man hidtil kjendte deraf, tydelig beskrevet et stærkt ud- 

 viklet Gjællegitter, der som en Sie holdt Føden tilbage i Mund- 

 hulen. Dette Sieapparat skildres vel som bestaaende af læn- 

 gere Stave, men disse skulle være bruskede og hule (tubes); 

 de skulle dernæst paa deres indre (hvilken?) Ende bære en fin 

 Fryndse, der væsenlig skulde hjælpe til Fødens Afsiening, og 

 Fryndsen selv sammenlignes i denne Kenseende med den flos- 

 sede Indrerand af den enkelte Bardeplade hos Hvalerne. Lige- 

 overfor denne mindre tydelige Beskrivelse kan jeg ikke ret vel 

 opfatte dette Gitter i dets Dannelse som fuldt homologt med 

 Brugdens. Stavene synes mig herefter at maatte snarest an- 

 lages at være Bruskfiskenes sædvanlige Bruskstave, Fryndsen sna- 

 rest Randtænderne paa disse. Men denne Usikkerhed vil for- 



Andrew Smith M. D. Illustrations of tlie Zoology of South Africa. 

 Pisces. London, 1849. 4to. Bhinodon typicus. PI 26: »Pharynx very 

 large, aml the inner extremity of each branchial canal obstructed by a 

 sieve-like apparatus, consisting of a conjeries of cartilaginous tubes 

 closely set together , directed lateraly, and the inner extremity of each 

 fringed with a delicate membrane offering an obstruction to the passage 

 of anything but fluid« — fremdeles senere: «The stomach was empty, 

 and hence the precise food of the fish could not be ascertained. That 

 a portion of it, at least, is derived from the moUusca etc, which are 



taken into the mouth and pharynx with the sea water is to be 



inferred from the branchial openings being so guarded. That the fringe 

 at the inner extremity of the tubes, which exist in the branchial canals, 

 are for the purpose of intercepting such small animals as may be con- 

 tained in the water, I infer from knowing that the whale (Balæna), 

 which feeds on small mollusca, etc, has the inner edge of each layer 

 of whalebone converted into a fine floatii»g fringe, which permlts the 

 water taken into its huge mouth to escape, but intercepts all objects 

 adapted for its food.« 



