306 Canadian Record of Science. 



Last gill opening to base of pectoral 2 



Length of pectoral 11 



Breadth of do 6J- 



Snout to'base of pectoral 2 4 



Do. to first dorsal 4 



Breadth of first dorsal 9 



First to second dorsal • 2 1 



Length of second dorsal 5£ 



Second dorsal to origin of caudal 11 



Length of caudal 1 7 



Depth of do. about 2 



Pectorals to origin of vontrals 3 6 



Breadth base of ventral 6 



Base to points of ventrals • 10J 



Ventral to caudal 1 6 



The Greenland shark seems to have its headquarters in 

 the seas of that country and Spitzbergen, in which consider- 

 able numbers are taken annually for their oil. It ranges 

 southward to Newfoundland and the New England coast, is 

 found also on the west coast of America, and occasionally 

 strays to the coast of Europe. Though a powerful creature, 

 and said sometimes to attain to the length of 25 feet, it 

 seems slow and sluggish in its habits, and haunts the bot- 

 tom rather than the surface of the water. In addition to 

 feeding on small fish and crabs, it is said to have the habit 

 of devouring cod and other fish when caught in set lines, 

 and is therefore not loved by the fishermen. In the arctic 

 seas it is often seen to feed on the floating carcases of dead 

 whales, around which these sharks are said to collect in 

 great numbers. Scoresby states 1 that they are able to bite 

 out large pieces of the flesh with their sharp cutting teeth. 

 On the coast of the United States, it is said by the Amer- 

 ican naturalists cited above, to devour fish offal at the fish- 

 eries, and on this account has acquired locally the name of 

 " gurry shark." Its flesh is not eaten on our coasts, but is 

 said to be used as food by the Esquimaux. The liver of a 



1 Arctic Voyages. 



