CARCHARIID^. 29a 



Folkestone (Buckland). Pennant observes that its skin and flesh have an 

 ofEensive, rank smell ; therefore he supposed that Mi'. Dale (" History of Harwich," 

 page 420) gave it ironically the title of Sweet William. Be liuwe Haal, Dutch. 

 Le Milandre, French. 



Habits. — A fierce and ravenous fish, which appears to swim low, as it is more 

 frequently found attacking baits than being entangled in drift-nets. The young 

 have been observed off our shores all the year rouud, but the larger ones appear 

 to be more common in summer, and especially along the south coast : for they are 

 said during winter to retire to deep watsr, where the ground is sandy. When 

 fresh caught this fish is said to emit a strong and peculiar odour. The skin is 

 somewhat rough ; in fact, as Blake-Knox observes, it scours wooden bowls and 

 platters white and makes fine burnishers for gun-barrels, which latter use shows 

 that it cannot be very rough. It feels somewhat like sand-paper when the hand 

 is passed from behind forwards. This fish is said to more frequently devour dead 

 food than does Caraharias glaucus, but it will eat crabs, star-fishes, and such like. 

 Means of capture. — Off Norfolk, said to take a bait best in June and early in 

 July, after which time it ceases biting (Lowe). When hooked it twists the 

 line round and round its body in its endeavours to free itself. Mr. Ogilby 

 observes that these sharks hunt in couples, and if one is caught on a boulter its 

 mate is pretty sure to be found within a few hooks. He has known the unhooked 

 one to follow to the surface so as to be gaffed with ease. When hauling a cod- 

 line on one occasion a fish, presumably of this species, made a rush in sight at 

 a hooked cod of about 10 lbs., and cut it in two at the middle as clean as if it had 

 been done with a knife. 



As food. — Not esteemed ; but Willughby asserts its flesh to be tender, and not 

 unpleasant, while it is eaten by the French. 



Uses. — Oil is extracted from its liver, and its skin can be used as sand- paper. 

 Breeding. — Young produced alive and during the summer months. Couch 

 found 32 in one female, but as many as 52 have been recorded. 



Habitat. — This fish has an extensive range in temperate and tropical seas, 

 having been captured so far off as Tasmania and California. 



It has been taken in the Orkneys, but it is doubtful if it has at the Shetlands 

 (W. Baikie) : only in two instances off Banff (Edward) : Aberdeen (Sim) : 

 St. Andrew's, frequently caught (Mcintosh) : Firth of Forth, common (Parnell) : 

 Berwickshire, occasionally from 6 to 6 feet in length (Johnston). Common 

 at Scarborough and in Bridlington Bay, but not reported from elsewhere in 

 the county (Yorkshire Vertebrata) : large numbers taken on night-lines off 

 Hunstanton (Lowe, Fauna of Norfolk). Is not infrequent along the south 

 coasts of England and Ireland, but is less plentiful to the north (Buckland) : 

 is common in Devonshire (Parfitt) : but though taken in Cornwall it is not a 

 common fish (Cornish Fauna). One a little over 5 feet in length was captured 

 off Anglesea on a long line in July, 1879 (Buckland) : Pennant also obtained 

 it in Flintshire. 



In Ireland it is found around the coast (Thompson) : is common in Dublin 

 Bay (Blake-Knox) : Templeton recorded one 5 feet long taken in Belfast Lough : 

 while Mr. Ogilby observes that it is not uncommon at Portrush, where it is 

 called Famrie. 



Blake-Knox records it to 7 feet long in Dublin Bay (Zoologist, 1866, 

 p. 509) : it is not rare up to 6 feet in length. The specimen figured was taken in 

 the Bay of St. Andrew's. It is a female, which had live young inside when 

 captured, and it measured 4 feet 9 inches in length. 



