S96 



SQUALID.E. 



CHONDROPTER VGIL 



SQUALID^:. 



THE BASKING SHARK. 



THE SUN-FISH, and SAIL-FISH. 



Selachus maximus, Le Pelerin, Cuvier, Regne An. t. ii. p. 390. 



Squalus ,, Linnsus 1 



„ ,, Basking Shark, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 134, pi. 16. 



,, ,, Common Sail-Jish, Flem. Brit. An. p. 164, sp. 5. 



,, „ Basking Shark, Jenyns, Man. Brit. Vert. p. 503, sp. 193. 



Generic Characters. — Branchial apertures elongated, nearly surrounding the 

 neck, all placed in advance of the pectoral fins ; temporal orifices present ; 

 teeth very numerous, small, conical, without serrated edges ; anal fin present. 



The Basking Shark, so called from its habit of remain- 

 ing occasionally at the surface of the water almost motionless, 

 as if enjoying the influence of the sun's rays, whence it is 

 also on some parts of the Irish and Welsh coasts called Sun- 

 fish, is one of the largest of the true fishes, and has been 

 known to measure thirty-six feet in length. It has been seen 

 generally from the month of June to the commencement of 

 winter. When northerly winds prevail, it is most frequent 

 on the west coast of Scotland. It has also been seen on the 



