1915] Gudger : The Whale Shark, 379 



Not so, however, Smith (1849) whose account will now be 

 quoted verbatim. 



"Pharynx very large and the inner extremity of each branchial 

 canal obstructed by a sieve-like apparatus, consisting of a con- 

 jeries of cartilaginous tubes closely set together, directed lat- 

 erally, and the inner extremity of each fringed with a delicate 

 membrane offering an obstruction to the passage of anything 

 but fluid. Oesophagus rather narrow, and at its commence- 

 ment bends downward toward the parietes of the abdomen, 

 and forms nearly a right angle with the fauces, which gives 

 the fish the power of completely preventing what enters its large 

 mouth from being admitted into its stomach, unless desirable. 

 The cardiac extremity of the stomach is very muscular, and the 

 inner surface is studded with hard pointed nipple-like bodies, all 

 of which are directed backward, and offer an obstacle to the 

 return of anything solid from the stomach : the rest of the inner 

 surface of the stomach and the small intestines closely set with 

 strong rugae, in the stomach oblique, in the intestines nearly 

 circular; and the latter, when about to terminate in the large 

 intestines is also furnished with a number of nipple-like bodies, 

 which prevent solids from passing downward. The termination 

 of the small intestine is in the form of a ring which projects 

 into the large bowel and forms an effective valve when any 

 attempt is made to propel the contents of the large intestine 

 backwards into the smaller. The inner surface of the former is 

 furnished as in other sharks with a spiral band, the one side 

 of which is loose, and by this arrangement the alimentary fluid 

 requires to pass over an extent of surface sufflcient to permit 

 of the necessary absorption of the nutritive portion of the in- 

 gesta. The rectum, internally, is quite smooth, and the gland 

 which, in sharks generally, is situated behind it, also exists in 

 this fish, and opens into the gut about six inches from the anus. 

 On each side of the latter there is a large opening, through 

 which a probe can be readily introduced into the cavity of the 

 peritoneum, and into that cavity, it would appear, the sea water 

 enters through these openings, as it contained about eight gal- 

 lons perfectly pure, or at least only with some animal secretions. 



"The liver consists of two lobes nearly of equal size, the 

 length of each 3% feet; the greatest ^vidth 13 inches, the least 



