I03 SALT-WATER FISHES 



grooves at the corner of the mouth, and the eye is large, 

 with an elliptical pupil, a feature also noticed in Centrophorus. 

 Unfortunately, the stomach in both this and another example 

 also examined by Mr. Calderwood in the summer of 1892 

 was quite empty, so that there was no clue to its food or 

 mode of living ; but he regarded it as a ground shark, and 

 thought the flattened lower surface might be taken to indicate 

 a habit of lying on the bottom and for some time in one 

 place. 



The Greenland Shark (L<emargus microcephalus) is an 

 immense shark from Arctic seas, a few examples of which 

 have been taken in the nets on the Scotch and Yorkshire 

 coasts, the largest being about 145 ft. It has no spines 

 before the dorsal fins ; the snout projects ; the mouth is 

 deeply grooved at its angles. The skin is covered with fine 

 tubercles, and is uniform grey. The capture of this shark 

 on our coasts is, of course, purely accidental ; but there is a 

 regular line fishery for it on the coast of Iceland in moderately 

 deep water for the sake of its liver, and the bait in common 

 use is a seal's head. 



The Spinous Shark {Echinorhinus spinosus) has still stronger 

 tubercles all over its body, which is also marked with reddish 

 patches. It has occurred on our coasts much more commonly 

 than the last ; indeed, it can hardly be regarded as a very 

 rare fish. It is a shark of southern habitat, however, so that 

 the greater number of records come from the south-west coast, 

 the largest measuring about 8^ ft. One of the latest 

 records is from Plymouth (1896), where one measuring 

 6 ft. 6 in. was taken on a long-line in shallow water. It 

 is a voracious fish, and does not apparently despise even spur- 

 dogs as food. 



Centrophorus squamosus, long known in Southern Europe, 

 was added to the British list on the strength of a single 

 example caught on the Irish coast in May, 1891, in 250 

 fathoms, off Blackrock, Mayo, on a long line. This is the 



