FISHES» 367 



eleven young ones were found in the uterus; they 

 were about three inches long. 



Besides these young ones that had advanced thus 

 far in their growth, there were contained a large 

 number of ova within the body of the fish, in different 

 degrees of evolution and size; some of them resem- 

 bling the full grown eggs of the tortoise, and others 

 similar to the smaller rudiments of eggs found in the 

 ovaria of laying hens. On opening the uterus, the 

 young fishes were found each connected with an egg, 

 dependent from that part of the belly which may be con- 

 sidered as the umbilicus, and appearing in the form of 

 a very large hernia, this hernia on examination proved 

 to be a true ovum filled with a yolky substance, evi- 

 dently intended for its nourishment ; and what was 

 very remarkable, the young animal, though grown t© 

 a considerable size, and connected in this manner 

 with its egg, had no connection whatever, by means 

 of an umbilical cord, a placenta, or by vessels of any 

 kind, to the uterus of its dam ; but it was so com- 

 pletely organised, as to derive no sustenance to its 

 body, nor to receive any renovation of its blood, from 

 its parent. 



The singularity of all these appearances was con- 

 siderably heightened by the capability of the little 

 sharks, when out of the uterus, to live for a consi- 

 derable time in the open air. The larger part of 

 the brood had been left on the grass of the shore 

 where the dam had been dissected; but the three 

 which were reserved for examination lived, and exhi- 

 bited, during the greater part of the time, brisk 

 motions for almost three hours, although exposed to 

 the temperature of a common atmosphere. During 



