CARCHARODON CAPENSIS.— Smith. 



Pisces. — Plate IV. — Female. 



C. supra obscure csesius, purpureo-tinctus ; subtus flavo-albus plus minusve miniatus ; pinnis pectoralibus 

 supra versus basin, corporisque lateribus post has nigris ; oculis viridi-nigris, punctis subaureis 

 variegatis. 



Longitudo ex apice capite ad extremitatem pinnse caudalis 7 ped. 



Colour. — The back, the upper parts of the sides, and the dorsal fins dull 

 blueish grey shaded with purple, and exhibiting a velvety lustre ; the lower 

 portions of the sides silvery blue. Under parts yellowish white, tinted with 

 vermillion-red, very strongly on the under surfaces of the head, neck, and 

 tail. The upper surface of the pectoral fins, and also the caudal and anal 

 ones, purplish grey, excepting a portion of each of the first named, toward 

 the base, which is livid black ; the part of each side adjoining these marks 

 is also black. The under surface of the pectoral fins reddish white. Eyes 

 resplendent greenish black, variegated with bright copper-coloured points. 



Form, &c. — Figure robust and fusiform; the tail immediately in front of 

 caudal fin, very slender and strongly carinated on each side ; back slightly 

 keeled. Head broad posteriorly, pointed anteriorly, flat above, convex below, 

 and when viewed as a whole exhibits something of a triangular form ; a patch of 

 minute cuticular pores on each side of upper jaw, and two similar ones on 

 the top of "the head between the eyes and the nose. Gape large and arched, 

 one row of erect teeth in each jaw, the remainder recumbent; those of the 

 upper jaw more than double the breadth of the lower ones. Nostrils narrow, 

 transverse, and partially divided by a small cuticular lobule; post-ocular 

 spiracles very small, and on the same lines with the eyes, branchial openings 

 large, and in front of the pectoral fins ; the latter large and somewhat trian- 

 gular in shape, their hinder edge slightly concave with a small triangular 



* Generic characters. — Figure fusiform ; head subconical ; nose pointed ; teeth triangular, the base 

 forming one of the sides, those of the upper jaw widest, lateral edges finely dentated ; post-ocular openings 

 small ; branchial openings all in front of pectoral fins ; back carinated ; first dorsal fin immediately in 

 front of the middle of the back ; each side of the tail strongly carinated ; a semilunar fossa in front of 

 caudal fin, both above and below ; caudal fin forked, the upper portion longest. Closely allied to Lamna. 





