

Fishes. 1973 



Worm Sea-Adder, S. lumbriciformis. Common under stones near 

 low-water mark. 



Pennant's Globe Fish, Tetrodon Pennantii. I have never seen 

 this fish ; but three specimens are recorded to have been taken on the 

 Cornish shores. Donovan mentions one, and Pennant and Dr. 

 Boase obtained specimens in Mount's Bay. 



Short Sun Fish, Orthagoriscus Mola. Common in the summer off 

 the Land's End and Mount's Bay. 



Oblong Sun Fish, O. oblongus. This is a rarer fish than O. Mola, but 

 it is not unfrequently met with off Mount's Bay. I have seen speci- 

 mens measuring only three feet in length, and others more than five. 

 There appears to be either a variety of this, or a distinct species that 

 occasionally visits our shores. It is intermediate in form to the two 

 now mentioned. I have frequently heard the fishermen speak of it, 

 but I never saw a specimen but on one occasion, and that was 

 in Mount's Bay : we were unable to secure it, but it was more oval 

 than O. Mola, and considerably less so than O. oblongus. The 

 determination of this must therefore be left to a more fortunate 

 opportunity. 



Sturgeon, Acipenser sturio. Rare ; taken occasionally at Hayle, 

 and in the Bristol Channel, and in Mount's Bay ; but very rarely in 

 the latter spot. 



Small Spotted Dog, Scyllium canicula. Frequently called "rough," 

 or " row-hound." Most frequent on the southern shores. 



Larger Spotted Dog, S. catulus. Common. Commonly called 

 " nurse -hound." Frequents deep water and rough ground ; it takes 

 its food by prowling, and feeds chiefly by night. 



The Black-mouthed Dog Fish, S. melanostomum. Has been taken 

 on the south coast of Cornwall, but not within the district of the 

 Land's End. 



The White Shark, Carcharias vulgaris. Not uncommon off the 

 Land's End and Tol-pedn-Penwith during the summer and autumnal 

 months. It has been taken in Mount's Bay. The largest specimen 

 I ever saw was near Cape Cornwall ; its exact length we could not, of 

 course, ascertain ; but a gentleman who was with me estimated it at 

 twenty feet. He had visited warm climates, and recognised the 

 monster while it swam close to the rocks, as an old acquaintance, and 

 the terror of our sailors. It swam near or rather at the surface. The 

 fishermen inform me that they see several every summer, and that 

 they carefully avoid them. Several sharks of smaller size, which were 

 seen at the same time, the boatmen thought to be the young of the 

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