S H A 
nature. Indeed, fuch'is the tremendous rapacity 
of thefe creatures, that nothing animated is rejeclcd 
by them. But towards mankind they feem to 
harbour a peculiar averfion ; and, when they have 
once tailed human fleih, they never defifl from 
haunting thofe fuuations where they hope for a re- 
turn of their prey. It is even afferted that, along 
the African coaft, v/here thefe animals are very 
numerous, the negroes, who are obliged to fre- 
quent the water, are often feized and devoured by 
them. The natives of thefe coafcs are firmly per- 
fuaded, that the Shark prefers the black man's 
flefh to that of the white man; fo that whenever 
men of different colours prefent themfelves, he 
always makes choice of the former. 
Certain it is, that people of all colours and all 
countries are equally afraid of this animal; and 
have contrived different methods to deftroy him. 
In general, they derive their fuccefs from the 
Shark's own rapacity. The ufual way in which 
our failors catch him, is by baiting a large hook 
with a piece of beef or pork ; which is thrown into 
the fea, fattened to a ffrong cord, ftrengthened 
near the hook by an iron chain: for, v.-ithout this 
precaution, the Shark would inftantly bite the cord 
in two, and liberate himfelf. It is no unpleafing 
diverfion to obferve this voracious animal furvey- 
ing the bait, particularly when hunger does not 
render him veryeag'er: he approaches it, examines 
the fubftance, fwims round it, and feems for a 
fhort fpace to turn away from it; then he appears 
again, and prepares to fwallow the lure, but once 
more quits it. When the failors have fufficiently 
diverted themfelves with his different evolutions, 
they make a ihew of removing the bait, by draw- 
ing the rope towards them. The rapacious ani- 
malj no longer able to refift the impulfe of appe- 
tite, darts at the meat, and fwallows it downright: 
fometimes, however, he does not fo entirely gorge 
it, but that he once more regains his liberty; but 
even then, though wounded and bleeding with the 
hook, he again purfues the bait till captured. 
When he finds the hook Iodised in his maw, his - 
utmoft efforts are then exerted in order to get 
free: he attempts to break the chain with his 
teeth; pulls with all hisftrength to break the line; 
r.nd makes the mod: violent efforts to difgorge the 
hook. In this manner he ffrugglcs till quite 
ipent; when he fuffers his head to be drawn above 
water; and the failors confining his tail by a 
noofe, fpeedily draw him on board, and difpatch 
liim. , This is effe<5led by beating him on the 
head till he dies: yet even that bufinefs is attended 
with difficulty and danger; the enormous crea- 
ture, terrible in the agonies of death, ftill ftrug- 
gles vmh his defcroyers ; nor is there any animal 
more tenacious of life. Even when cut in pieces, 
the mufcles preferve their motion, and vibrate for 
Ibme time after they are feparated from the body. 
Another method of taking the Shark connfts 
in ftriking a barbed infirument, called a fizgig, 
into his body, as he brufhes along by the fide of 
the (hip : and as foon as he is talcen up, his tail is 
cut off with the greatefb expedition, to prevent 
his flouncing, which often proves dangerous to 
by-ffanders. 
Such are the modes by which Europeans de- 
ftroy the Shark. But fome negroes along the 
Afi ican coaft adopt a bolder as well as more dan- 
gerous method of combating this formidable 
enemy: armed only with a knife, the negro 
plunges into the water, where obferving the Shark 
watching for his prey, he boldly fwims forward 
to affail him. Though the huge animal does not; 
always provoke the combat, he in no refpert 
avoids it, and fuffers the negro to approach him : 
but, juft as he turns^on his fide in order to feize 
the aggreffor, the negro plunges his knife ir.to 
the belly of the Shark, and purfues his biov/s with 
fuch addrefs, that he generally lays the ravenous 
tyrant dead at the bottom. The viftcr, hov/- 
ever, foon returns; fixes the animal's head in a 
noofc; and, with the affillance of his companions, 
drags him afliore, where he yields a famptuous 
feaft to the adjacent villagers. 
Nor is man the only fuccefsful opponent of tlie 
Shark : the remora, or fucking-fifn, is probably a 
ftill more fortunate one, purfuing hini v/ith un- 
ceafing animofity. This fifh poffeffing the fa- 
culty of adhering to whatever fubftance it chufes, 
clings to the Shark, and drains away his mioifture. 
The ieamen, however, entertain a different opi- 
nion: they fuppofe that the remora attends the 
Shark for more amicable purpofes, namely, to 
warn him of his danger, and point out his prey; 
and on this account it has been called that ani- 
mal's pilot. 
The Shark breathes with it's gills and luno-s; 
it's bones are cartilaginous ; and it brings forth 
feveral young alive. Bellonius affures us, that he 
knew a female Shark produce eleven youno- at a 
time. Pennant is of opinion that the fem.ales, in 
all this tribe, are larger than the males; which 
circumftance, if confirm.ed by experience, would 
form a ftriking analogy between them and birds 
of prey. 
The flefh of the Shark is fcarcely digeftible by 
any but negroes, who arc exceffively fond of it; 
it's liver affords a few quarts of oil ; it's fldn is with 
great labour poliflied into that fubftance called 
fhagreen; and fome im.aginary virtues have been 
afcribed to it's brain. 
Shark, Angel ; the Squalus Squatinus of 
LinnjEus. See Angel. 
Shark, Picked, Picked Dog, or Hound- 
Fish; the Squalus Spinax of Linnaus. This 
fpecies receives it's name from a ftrong iharp fpine 
placed juft before each of the back fins, which is 
it's diftinguiOiing chara£leriftic. It fwarms on 
the coafts of Scodand, v/here it is fplit, dried, and 
eaten by the poorer clafs of people. The nofe is 
long, extending confiderably beyond the mouth,, 
but blunt at the extremity; and the teeth are dif- 
pofed in a double row. The firft dorfal fin is 
placed nearer the head than the tail; and the other 
is fituated very near tiie latter. The tail is finned 
for a confiderable fpace beneath; the back is of 
a brownifh afh-colour; and the belly is white. 
Some of this fpecies weigh twenty pounds. 
Shark, Long-Tailed ; called alfo the Sea- 
Fox, or Ape; the Squalus cauda longiore quam 
ipfum corpus of Artedi. This fifh is remark- 
able for the extreme length of it's tail : the body 
is round and fhort; the nofe is alfo ftiort, but 
fharp-pointed; the eyes, which are large, are im- 
micdiately over the angles of the mouth ; and the 
teeth are triangular, and placed in three rows. 
The back is afh-coloured ; the belly is white; and 
the flvin is wholly finooth. 
The ancients denominated this fifh alopex, and 
vulpes, from it's fuppofed cunning; believing 
that when it happened to fv/allow the bait, it con*^ 
tinued to take in the cord till it could bite it 
through, and fo efcaped. It is fomenmes caught 
ia 
