Liver. 
Oil. 
890 BASKING SHARK. - ClafsIv. - 
On the back were two fins; the firft very large, 
not directly in the middle of the back, but rather 
nearer the head; the other fmall, and fituated near 
the tail. On the lower part were four others, viz: 
two pectoral fins, and two ventral fins; the laft 
placed juft beneath the hind fin of the back. Near 
thefe the male had two genitals, and between thefe 
fins was fituated the pudendum of the female. 
The tail was very large, and the upper part re- 
markably longer than the lower. 
The color of the upper part of the body was a 
deep leaden ; the belly white. 
The fkin was rough, like fhagreen, but lefs fo on 
the belly than the back. , 
Within fide the mouth, towards the throat, was a 
very fhort fort of whalebone. 
The liver was of a great fize, but that of the 
female was the largeft; fome weighed above a thou- 
fand pounds, and yielded a great quantity of pure 
and {weet oil, fit for lamps, and alfo much ufed by 
the people who took them, to cure bruifes, burns, 
and rheumatic complaints. A large fifh has afforded 
to the captors a profit of twenty pounds. They 
were viviparous, a young one about a foot in length 
being found in the belly of a fith of this kind. 
They were taken with harpoons with long lines 
fixed to them in much the fame manner as whales are, 
and when ftruck go off with vaft rapidity, and dart 
inftantly to the bottom, taking with them forty or 
fifty fathom of line, and are a long time before they 
are quite fubdued. 
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