84 CARCHARODON CARCHARIAS. 



The various descriptions given of this species are so 

 very imperfect and confusing that it is safe to say with 

 Prof. D. S. Jordan, in a recent letter to me, " there is no 

 good description of the animal extant. The earlier wri- 

 ters spoke of it without knowing it, and all had more or 

 less confusion between it and C. lamia.'" 



This shark was taken by C. B. Herrick, Esq., and my- 

 self on the fourth day of August, 1883, about two miles 

 off Great Point light-house, Nantucket, Mass. 



The experienced fishermen of Nantucket, with all their 

 opportunities to investigate this interesting family of 

 fishes, were ignorant of the correct name of this speci- 

 men, though they regarded it as a rare species in the 

 waters of that vicinty. It, therefore, became to me an 

 object of special interest and study. 



DESCKIPTIOlSr OF EXTERNAL CHARACTERS — GENERAL 

 DIMENSIONS. (PLATE I.) 



Length from snout to the end of caudal fin (straight line), 10 feet 



Length from snout to the pectoral fins (straight line) 30 inches 



Length from snout to the ventral fins 67J^ inches 



Length from snout to the anal fins 86 inches 



Length from snout to the first dorsal fin 44 inches 



Length from snout to the second dorsal fin 82^2 inches 



Length from snout to the caudal fin 98 inches 



Length of pectorals, at base 8 inches 



Length of first dorsal, at base 12 inches 



Length of second dorsal, at base 1% inches 



inches 

 inches 

 inches 

 inches 



Length of anal, at base 1% 



Circumference, anterior to branchial openings 56 



Circumference, posterior to branchial openings 58 



Circumference, posterior to pectorals 58 



Circumference, anterior to first dorsal 53 inches 



Circumference, posterior to first dorsal 48 inches 



Circumference, anterior to ventrals 42 inches 



Circumference, posterior to ventrals 33 inches 



Circumference, anterior to anal 22 inches 



Circumference, of caudal peduncle anterior to caudal fins, 12 inches 



