54 



Tlie Irish Na/iiralist. 



]une. 



" On May 5th there was a moderate easterly breeze. 

 At 6 p.m. about half ebb-tide I watched four of the sharks 

 cruising together in quite shallow water and evidently 

 feeding. Next day the two nets taken on the third were 

 found washed up on the shore. All morning very large 

 numbers of the sharks were in the outer part of the Bay. 

 I myself saw four groups simultaneously, each containing 

 from four to six sharks. The day was fine and calm but 

 very few of the boats ventured out for fear of the sharks. 

 About .half flood tide, i p.m.. a shark made its appearance 

 just inside our nets. We quickly hauled the nets and the 

 shark disappeared. 



" On May 7th the sharks were not seen until noon when 

 one appeared near some nets. The shark was frightened 

 away and re-appeared at some distance. The weather was 

 fine and the sea calm. May 8th was cold with north- 

 west wind and no sharks were seen. The fine warm weather 

 returned next day but no more sharks were seen until 

 May 28th when one fouled a string of nets. The nets 

 were afterwards got clear and the shark escaped. Later in 

 the day three sharks were seen. 



" On May 29th we saw two sharks near our nets. Next 

 day three were seen and there was no fishing. The weather 

 continued hot and calm. During the night. May 29th- 

 30th, a shark fouled and tore a trammel which we had 

 moored in shallow water. In the morning the shark had 

 disappeared leaving the damaged net. The same morning 

 two of the sharks were seen near the Pier. 



" Early in May a Basking Shark was washed ashore at 

 the north side of the Bay. It was not until June 20th 

 that I was able to go and see it, and by that time it was, 

 of course, far gone in decomposition. However, identification 

 was quite easy, owing to its large size and the cartilaginous 

 character of the bones. 



" On July 1 6th a shark (presumably a Basking Shark) 

 was seen by fishermen. They described it as being about 

 16 feet long. It cjuic kly disappeared from sight." 



Nalional Muscuin, l)u!>Iin. 



